/nginx/o/2019/10/22/12678325t1hf1b1.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "CSDD purchases worth millions in almost one year – Industries – Financenet")
“De facto” reveals that the representative and subsidiary of JHTonnjes EAST GmbH & Co in Latvia is Latsign, the other co-owner of which is Andris Dambis, a well-known motorist. At the time when the company entered Latvia, Dambis together with the CSDD management at that time – Andris Lukstiņš and Ivars Krauklis started the Dakar Rally together, using OSCar cars designed by Dambis.
–
But soon, for the first time, the CSDD will also have to organize a procurement for conducting a technical inspection. However, the planned solutions already raise concerns that long-term service providers will benefit and there will be no real competition at all.
–
Among the three Baltic States, car number plates are the most expensive in Latvia, but the cost of roadworthiness testing, calculated on average over a five-year period, is the third most expensive in the European Union. Such conclusions have been made by the Competition Council when studying the services provided by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate.
–
“We showed the system, how they work and where there are problems, and it would probably be reasonable for the CSDD to extend these findings of our monitoring to other procurements if there are any restrictions,” says the vice-president of the Competition Council Jānis Račko.
–
In Estonia, the cost of one license plate is 2.15 euros, in Lithuania – 1.39 euros, but in Latvia – 7.06 euros. CSDD argues that number plates should be compared with similar quality and safety requirements, because, for example, in Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary they are more expensive than in Latvia: Slovenia ~ 9.30, Slovakia 10.50, Hungary 7.70 euros.
–
For 18 years now, the number plates issued by the Road Traffic Safety Directorate have been supplied by one German company – JHTonnjes EAST GmbH & Co. In Latvia, it is represented by the subsidiary Latsign, whose co-owner and chairman of the board is motorist Andris Dambis. Asked how this company entered Latvia, Dambis answers: “Several European license plate manufacturers also came to Latvia to offer their services. I don’t know if anyone invited them. I think they wanted to take the opportunity to expand their business. ” JHTonnjes EAST GmbH & Co currently supplies vehicle number plates to more than 40 countries.
–
The last contract of the CSDD with the company was concluded in 2016 for five years and its value is nine million euros. Latsign performs about half of the planned workload.
–
Around the time of the cooperation between this manufacturer and Latsign and the management, Dambis, together with the chairman of the Road Traffic Safety Directorate Andris Lukstiņš and his then deputy Ivars Krauklis, took part in the Dakar Rally, driving OSCar in the cars designed by Dambis. Dambis does not evaluate whether the common passion for motorsport has also promoted business cooperation, but points out that he has always appreciated the opportunity to get to know partners in business, sports or other projects: “It has helped me to build good and predictable future cooperation and give up something. project. “
–
The chairman of the CSDD board Andris Lukstiņš did not give the interview “de facto”, but his colleague, board member Aivars Aksenoks, answers the question whether this acquisition could have been influenced by personal acquaintances: “I think definitely not, I think the problem is that there are already few people who can participate in such sports events, high-level sports events in Latvia. We have known Dambi for a long time as a well-known motorist, yes, but at the same time as an entrepreneur and at the same time as a person who makes everything and keeps his promises. ”
— .
