Riga Airport launches appeal

RIGA 's The RigaInternationalAirporthas launched an appeal against a Lithuanian court's decision to seize over 40million lats (EUR 57 mln) worth of assets of Latvia'sairBaltic national carrier and RigaAirport.

The airport's spokesman Martins Langrats said that theairport has appealed the ruling, the process is going on and no forecasts canbe made yet on the outcome. AirBaltic had previously said that it would alsoappeal the ruling.

"The fact that a Lithuanian judge ruled to freeze our assetsin another country, the property of the Latvian government, that was aridiculous action," airBaltic's Vice President and Lithuanian chief TadasVizgirda told The Baltic Times.

"It is embarrassing to Lithuaniathat a judge would do this," he said.

The Vilnius regional court satisfied a request ofLithuania'sflagship carrier FlyLAL-LithuanianAirlines on September 25 and decided to seize 199.83 million litas (EUR 57.92mln) worth of assets of Latvia'sair carrier airBaltic and Rigaairport.

FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlinesclaims to have sustained damages of close to 200 million litas due to favorableconditions extended by Riga airportto Airbaltic, which, as a result, is able to offer lower prices thus gainingunfair competitive advantage.