Matiss steps down as Rigas Satiksme acting head

RIGA – Anrijs Matiss has decided to step down as the acting head of Rigas Satiksme municipal public transport company.

Matiss in an interview with the Latvian public radio explained this decision with lack of support for changes in the company on the part of Rigas Satiksme shareholders, namely Riga Mayor and Harmony’s leader Nils Usakovs.

Initially the support of the Riga City Council to the changes at Rigas Satiksme was huge, but as Usakovs decided to run for the European Parliament elections, this support has been lost, said Matiss.

Thus, Matiss today has decided to announce his resignation. He said that he was not scared, but he cannot complete this job alone.

Matiss also noted that he had not been previously informed about change of the temporary board members, he received this information just a couple of hours before the shareholders meeting.

As reported, Edmunds Zivtins and Janis Gedusevs, who were appointed members of Riga municipal public transport company Rigas Satiksme board at the end of 2018, on March 1 were dismissed from the company's board. Zivtins and Gedusevs have been replaced on Rigas Satiksme board by Ernests Saulitis, a high-ranking official from the Riga City Council's Property Department, Juris Svanders, a high-ranking official from the Riga City Council's Financial Department, and transport expert Janis Meirans.

Continuing their work on Rigas Satiksme board were the board chairman Anrijs Matiss and Armands Kruze, former acting director at the Riga City Council's Urban Development Department. Therefore Rigas Satiksme board, which used to have four members, is made up of five members now.

Matiss said that on February 19 Rigas Satiksme temporary board turned to the shareholder because the company showed signs of insolvency. The shareholders meeting was convened on March 1 and temporary solutions were found until this year’s budget will be adopted, and thus, the company is able to operate for now. The company can survive through March, Matiss said.

Matiss said that Rigas Satiksme should reduce its expenditure, reminding about the inconvenient agreements signed with Rigas Karte e-ticket operator, Rigas Mikroautobusu Satiksme minibus passenger service operator, fuel procurements. These issues should be solved in cooperation with the shareholder, buti f there is no support from the Riga City Council, nothing can be done.