Company briefs - 2010-06-02

Latvia completed the switch from analog television to digital broadcasting on June 1, confirms the Latvian State Radio and Television Center, reports LETA. Analog broadcasting around Riga was already turned off on April 1. TV5 went digital on December 1 last year; LTV7 on March 1 this year, whereas LNT and LTV1 began the transition process on April 1 and just completed it. On May 31, TV3 signed an agreement with the communications company Lattelecom to switch its analog transmission to digital to complete the changeover.
 
The Lithuania-based manufacturer and seller of textile goods Linas AB operated with a loss totaling 465,424 litas (134,900 euros) in the first quarter of 2010, reports LETA. This compares with a year-earlier loss for the same period of 1,463,624 litas. Sales totaled 7,699,639 litas in the first quarter, increasing from 7,637,308 litas booked in the first three months of last year. The company’s gross profit amounted to 3,006,511 litas, up from 2,673,128 litas in the corresponding period last year. The number of employees was 361 on March 31, 2010; on March 31, 2009 the company had 428 employees.

The Harju County Court found AS Liviko and its CEO Janek Kalvi and Forgola Group and one of its owners, Igor Zavizion, guilty of having concluded a cartel agreement, reports National Broadcasting. Kalvi, Zavizion and Aleksandr Skoblov, a member of the management board of Forgola (formerly named Offex Group) were each fined. Liviko was fined 1.5 million kroons (96,100 euros), and Forgola 750,000 kroons. The judge imposed the punishment requested by the public prosecutor. All of the accused denied any guilt. The Public Prosecutor’s Office claims an agreement was made whereby the parties agreed to keep the price of a 0.5 liter bottle of vodka produced or imported by either of the enterprises above 59.90 kroons.