Lithuanian ministry turns to intelligence body over rail contracts with Latvia's Sigmen

  • 2019-06-03
  • LETA/BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian Transport and Communications Ministry has asked the State Security Department (VSD) for cooperation in assessing potential threats and risks following a media report that Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LG) has awarded millions of euros' worth of contracts to a Latvian company linked, via former KGB officers and agents, to Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle and Russian oligarchs subject to US sanctions.

Sigmen is one of the major suppliers of Russian gauge rails in the region.

"We take any information about potential risks in the strategic company very seriously. We hope that VSD's insights will help us to evaluate the situation objectively and to manage potential risks in LG," Transport and Communications Minister Rokas Masiulis said in a press release on Monday. 

"It is in the interest of both the ministry and the company to have clarity in the situation," he added. 

The ministry has until now had no information indicating that there could be risks associated with the state railway group's deals with Sigmen, according to the press release.