Charges have been brought against the chairman of the board and director of the legal department at the Latvian incumbent Tet, formerly known as Lattelecom, over a DTT tender.
In a statement, the company says that this follows criminal proceedings initiated 10 years ago and in connection with the tender, won by Lattelecom two years earlier. Lattelecom went on to successfully complete the transition to digital TV at record speed, providing both FTA and pay-TV services nationally by the end of 2013.
Tet adds that “according to currently publicly available information, the process has been going on for 10 years. Surprisingly, such allegations have been made after more than 10 years, given that so far none of the company’s officials or employees have been assigned the status of a suspect or accused and the company has provided all the requested information to the investigating authorities. The company’s representatives will continue to provide all necessary information to law enforcement authorities. In turn, only the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Latvia is entitled to provide information on issues related to the criminal proceedings themselves”.
Juris Gulbis, chairman of the board of Tet, said: “I categorically and completely reject the accusations, we are ready to defend and substantiate every decision made by the company. Our priority has always been the development of the company in a purely legal way”.
Gatis Kokins, chairman of the Tet council, added: “The company’s council and shareholders have been informed of the situation since the allegations were made. carried out by a specialised international company with a high reputation in this field. In the meantime, the company’s management and staff maintain the confidence of the board to ensure the successful operation and continuity of the Tet Group’s companies during these stressful times”.
The company also says that “the shareholders of Tet, the supervisory board and the board of directors take the situation extremely seriously and take all necessary steps to clarify the circumstances of the case. Until all the circumstances of the case have been fully clarified, both employees shall continue to perform their duties and positions, as well as maintain the trust of the council. The company continues to realize the goals set by shareholders and provide quality services to customers”.
