Kariņš says Andrejsala developers sought state funding and he threw them out of a meeting room
Former Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš said on a TV3 podcast that Andrejsala developers' representatives demanded state investment in the area and that he ordered them out of the meeting room. He argues the key question about the Riga Waterfront project is who will pay for its development.
Krišjānis Kariņš, a former Prime Minister of Latvia, spoke on the TV3 podcast "Piķis un ģēvelis!" about meetings with representatives of Andrejsala developers during his time in office. Andrejsala is a former port area in Riga where the "Riga Waterfront" project is planned. According to Kariņš, a person he described as a "very self-confident boy" demanded state investment in the territory.
Anger over demands
A similar situation arose when the developers proposed that the state build a concert hall, or the Riga Philharmonic, in Andrejsala. For the hall to be built there, the state would first have to invest in developing the area. Kariņš recalled: "I actually got angry, I threw them out of the meeting room." He added that if developers want the state to invest in an anchor facility in their territory, they should make it worthwhile for the state.
Assessment of the project
Kariņš said it is not reprehensible for Ainārs Šlesers (of the LPV party) and Andris Šķēle to pursue the economic interests of their families. In his view, "Riga Waterfront" is not bad if it develops the former port area, but the question is who pays for it. He predicted pressure on the state and the municipality to invest in access roads, railway, electricity, water and sewage.
About the project
The developers of "Riga Waterfront" promise to invest three billion euros. The project is meant to combine housing, green areas and direct access to the water. More than 30,000 residents are expected to live in about 8,000 homes. Hotels, ice rinks, a cruise terminal, a shopping centre and public squares are also planned, while the old power plant area would become a retail and gastronomy centre. In return for investment, the developers promise a temporary residence permit in a European Union member state.
