OREANDA-NEWS. February 06, 2007. Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis doubts the ability of "Latvijas Pasts" (Latvia Post) to resolve its escalating problems.

In interview on the Latvian independent TV channel (LNT), Godmanis claimed that the leadership of the company must take full responsibility for the current situation.

He opined that the company's board and the minister of transport should be put in charge of finding the solution, though doubting if the current executives at "Latvijas Pasts" was capable of doing it.

Minister of Transport Ainars Slesers had previously pledged to decide on the future career of the "Latvijas Pasts'" board chairman Gints Skodovs, evaluating his competence on the grounds of the enterprise's development strategy, and taking into account the present state of the company's affairs.

Additional information is expected from the company to complement the strategy document. Without revealing its content, Skodovs had previously implied that two different models for the company's development were proposed. One alternative envisaged operating as a profit-driven participant of the free market, while the other option would retain the company's social profile. The choice between total liberalization and social functions ultimately have to be made by the government.

Skodovs assured that the problems in postal deliveries had been evaluated and were currently subject to rectifying.

He admitted that certain employees had given an inadequately positive appraisal of the printed press delivery system. The persons in question included several top officials of the company who have recently handed in their resignation: Deputy Chairwoman of the Board Ieva Rozenberga and Director of Information Systems Normunds Abelnica.

Skodovs was uncertain whether the press delivery was now functioning properly as some problems have remained unsolved yet. The average amount of complaints daily received by "Latvijas Pasts" was pending around 10-50.

The head of "Latvijas Pasts" assured though that subscribers would be paid out financial compensation for the failed deliveries.