Usually people are evaluated by their personal and professional achievements. In order to say that a team is unprofessional, it is not enough to mention 20 year old jobs and numbers without any justification and nothing common with the reality.

The management of such huge companies like Ventbunkers (VBU) is usually entrusted to a professional and experienced team, as it is now. This may be proved by both the professional qualification of these people and their achievements during these two years.

Following should be mentioned as example:

Transshipment agreements on amounts higher than in the previous years. Increase of price level for sale of refined oil products. Compared with previous years the company’s profit was increased by several million euros. Introduction of the currency risk concept, which ensures the avoidance of possible future currency risk losses.

It should be pointed out that in 2009 as a result of activities of Mr Berķis and his team of “professionals” such losses made roughly 20% of the company’s profit.

Very negative aspect is the conflict with Litasco, which arose thanks to Berķis. Mr Berķis not only did not participate in the settlement of the situation, but also promoted the aggravation of the conflict. According to VBU board member Janis Haze, this may be proved by agreements which apparently were concluded with retrospective effect, and the commercial substance of these agreements is clearly contrary to VBU interests and the principle of good governance.

These losses which have been mentioned by Mr Berķis in his interviews have been caused to VBU as a result of his actions, and at present it is impudent to state that these losses have been caused due to the fault of others.

Within the context of Litasco issue, there is still a question open as to what agreement has been reached by Mr Berķis within the interests of VBU after unlawfully taking control over the company, by giving back the cargo of Litasco worth USD 30 million? Board of VBU under Meroni was using this cargo of 47 thousand tons fuel oil as a bargaining tool to get Litasco to pay the debt of 28 million lats. Now with this oil released the hopes of negotiating a settlement are almost zero. Litasco has the oil and the money.

Ref: 103.000.105.1070