Competition Council slaps nearly EUR 2 million fine on 3 public transport companies for illegal agreement

  • 2023-01-17
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - The Competition Council has fined three public transport services providers with nearly EUR 2 million in total for entering an illegal agreement, LETA was told at the Competition Council.

The Competition Council found that the companies operating regional bus routes in Latvia had violated the Competition Law and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The Competition Council will provide more detailed information about the decision regarding the illegal agreement affecting the distribution of bus routes at a news conference this Wednesday, January 18.

Participating in the news conference will be Competition Council chairman Juris Gaikis and Ieva Smite, director of the Competition Council's Illegal Agreements Department.

Leonids Krongorns, board chairman of Liepajas Autobusu Parks bus operator, told LETA that the Competition Council's ruling affects the company and that Liepajas Autobusu Parks will therefore study the Competition Council's in detail before giving a more extensive comment on the situation. 

In its operations, Liepajas Autobusu Parks complies with all legislative requirements and denies any violations of the competition rules and the Competition Law. After studying the reasoning behind the decision, Liepajas Autobusu Parks will decide on using legal means to protect its legitimate interests by proving its integrity and the absence of any wrongdoing, the company said. 

A 34.5 percent stake in Liepajas Autobusu Parks belongs to the local government of Liepaja, while 59.83 percent in the company is owned by LAP1R company, which is indirectly owned by the families of Andris Skele (67 percent) and Ainars Slesers (33 percent).