Lattelekom demands 1.4 million lats from Baltkom GSM

RIGA(BNS) - State phone monopoly Lattelekom has filed a claim in court against mobile communications operator Baltkom GSM for 1,431,177 lats ($2.5 million) according to court documents.

Lattelekom media relations head Anita Leiskalne refused to give reasons for the claim but did not rule out a failure of Baltkom to meet contractual obligations.

Riga District Court Justice Jevgenijs Salims said Lattelekom has filed the claim as it believes Baltkom GSM has failed to ensure phone calls between subscribers to both networks.

The justice said the contract between the two operators specifies a two-fold contractual fine bringing the amount of the claim to about 1.4 million lats.

Salims said Baltkom GSM should file its response to the claim in court within 30 days, meaning the case could come up for consideration at the beginning of 2000 at the earliest.

Baltkom GSM spokesman Eriks Matulis said Baltkom GSM views the price demanded by Lattelekom for use of its network as excessive and the amount Lattelekom is paying to Baltkom GSM for use of Baltkom's mobile communications network as inadequate.

Baltkom GSM has offered to solve the disagreements on mutual settlements with the mediation of an international auditing firm but Lattelekom did not agree this solution, Matulis said.

Baltkom GSM is one of Latvia's two mobile communications operators while Lattelekom provides public fixed telecommunications services.