After a meeting with the opposition “United List” (AS), whose politicians have announced that they will turn to the prosecutor’s office after talking with the minister, Briškens told the media on Wednesday that he has nothing to hide from the deputies.
“I am not a politician who is afraid of unpopular decisions. You can always do better with complicated, difficult communication, there is no doubt about that, so I am currently trying my best to explain these processes to the media, politicians, and society in general,” the minister said.
Brisken said the long-standing issues he and his team are now trying to address did not arise during his “ministry.”
“What I will continue to do is actively communicate, I’m not going to hide from unpopular truths,” Brisken said.
Answering the question whether he feels secure about his position, Bryshken said that he has support in his faction, support from his colleagues.
“As long as I have this support, I will work,” emphasized the minister.
It has already been reported that after the meeting with the Prime Minister Evikas Siliņa (JV) on Wednesday, Rinkēvičs announced that Brišken’s communication regarding the airline company “airBaltic” has absolutely “failed”.
“The things that had to be explained on Friday afternoon were explained yesterday. The public has completely valid questions, after all, it is taxpayers’ money that has been invested there,” Rinkevičs said.
The President pointed out that it is the responsibility of the Minister of Transport, as the minister responsible for the sector, not only to discuss these decisions in the government and submit them, but also to explain them in a timely, comprehensible and justified manner.
He also emphasized that further decisions and projects that will be submitted to the government will also be the responsibility of the Minister of Transport.
At the same time, Rinkēvičs expressed that he would like the conversation about “airBaltic” to be less emotional, but more pragmatic, taking into account the positive benefits of the national airline – connectivity with European cities, tourism and business development.
“But all this has a price, and I would like to expect from the responsible ministry a clear vision of how we develop further, timely answers to reasonable questions,” said the president, while reminding that the Ministry of Transport is the holder of the state capital shares of “airBaltic”.
It has already been reported that the government agreed in the closed part on Friday, August 30, that the state should retain at least 25% plus one share in the company’s capital after the initial public offering (IPO) of “airBaltic” shares.
In preparation for the IPO, the share capital of “airBaltic” will be reduced by 571.293 million euros, as well as the existing share structure of the company will be simplified. According to the regulations of the share capital reduction, the share capital of “airBaltic” will be EUR 25.179 million after the reduction.
“airBaltic” board chairman Klāvs Vasks noted that the amount by which the share capital of “airBaltic” will be reduced, namely EUR 571.293 million, looks large, but the amount of capital does not change the value of the company. Vasksts informed that airBaltic’s IPO wants to raise around 300 million euros.
“airBaltic” CEO Martins Gauss stated that the state has invested 526 million euros in the company in 29 years, which the society considers “taxpayers’ money”, and this is correct, but the company has paid more than 400 million euros in taxes to the state.
Brišken, on the other hand, noted that the state benefits both from paid taxes and from jobs, as well as from the provided connectivity.
“For the company, successfully issuing shares in the IPO process, we expect that, with the state also retaining a minority share, the company will be profitable and the state will continue to receive indirect benefits and financial benefit if the company works profitably,” said the minister.
2024-09-04 20:20:17