Gaidis Berzins

Minister of Justice Gaidis Berzins used his influence to help the Ventspil millionaire Olaf Berkis to become the Chairman of the Council of Ventbunkers, Pietiek.com reports.

As the information from the portal states, Mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs discussed the necessity for the Enterprise registry, led by the Ministry of Justice, to register the takeover of Ventbunkers Council and the registration of Olaf Berkis as the new Chairman of the Council, with the Minister of Justice in the end of last year.

Lembergs, who previously called Berkis a «jackal», turned to his side, because he, similarly to his so called opponents, ended up in financial difficulties, which he hoped to resolve with the help of Ventbunkers. For the realization of these interests, it was necessary that the RE would register the changes in the Council of Ventbunkers, which was under the control of the Swiss lawyer Rudolph Meroni since the beginning of 2010.

The minister promised the chief state notary of the ER Ringolds Balodis that in accordance with the ER decision to register the decision of the Ventbunkers shareholder meeting, according to which Berkis is to become the new Chairman of the Council, no disciplinary action would be taken. This promise, which was likely to have been documented, was requested by the ER, keeping in mind the experience of the predecessor of Balodis – Janis Endzins, who left the post of the chief notary of ER in October 2007.

Minister of Justice Berzins denies any involvement in the so called transit wars as well as any meetings with Lembergs. The minister claims to have no relationships with Lembergs whatsoever, that he did not meet with Lembergs for several years and is not in the least bit interested in the Ventspils transit business. The registration of the decisions of the meetings of companies is in the competency of the ER, and the minister does not interfere with those activities.

It was previously reported that the fact that the Ventspils millionaire Berkis became the Chairman of the Council of Ventbunkers is not a coincidence. According to the information from the portal, a «helping hand» was given to Berkis in his attempts to take over the profitable Ventbunkers oil transit company by an old acquaintance of his – Edgars Jaunups. He was that one «influential» figure related to the coalition, who contacted Balodis in the end of last year, to make sure the ER accepts the decisions made during the Ventbunkers shareholder meeting in the interests of Berkis. Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Berzins received the title of «Lembergs’ postman» on the backstage of politics. This title is related to Berzins’, possible, relation to the so called «Lembergs’ scholars».

Ref: 102.109.109.1849