Latvia claims 800,000 euros from Expo 2015

Latvia’s Economy Minister, Dana Reizniece-Ozola, revealed in an interview with the 900 Sekundes programme that the country’s Economy Ministry recently claimed 800,000 euros from the limited partnership Expo 2015, which organises the international trade fair. 

Reizniece-Ozola outlined the 800,000 euros reflects the cost spent on preparations spent for the World Expo 2015 event, which is currently being held in Milan. Latvia is not attending.

She also indicated that the ministry carried out thorough analyses on the cash flow regarding the Expo project, and discovered several tasks had been paid for several times.

The Economic Ministry also found out that some of the prices had been inflated - for example, developing the website cost several thousand euros, while a study of residential opportunities in Milan cost approximately 30,000 euros.

The minister said several officials and businessmen exploited the Economy Ministry's resources by requesting additional funding and threatening the ministry by suggesting that withdrawal from the fair would harm Latvia's reputation.

Reizniece-Ozola admitted that the ministry is concerned about receiving the funds, as Expo 2015 was founded for this specific project with the possibility to avoid returning the money to Latvia’s state budget.