Loginov: Latvia Still Plays the Servant Role in Transit and Sanctions

In an interview with BNN, Leonīds Loginovs, former head of the Riga Freeport and a council member of the Latvian Stevedoring Companies Association, gave a harsh assessment of Latvia’s transport and logistics sector. He emphasized that Latvia still psychologically lives in a "servant role" – previously pleasing Moscow, now Brussels, often ignoring its own economic interests.

Loginov noted that the new Transport Minister Rihards Kozlovskis has finally started listening to the industry; for instance, at a June 30 working group meeting, €24.49 million were promised for railway financial balance for 2025. However, he stressed that for three years the industry had unsuccessfully knocked on ministerial doors, while farmers received support promises from the prime minister himself.

He particularly criticized Latvia’s stance on mineral fertilizers. Loginov explained that Lithuania freely transits Russian and Uzbek fertilizers because the KuybyshevAzot plant in Russia is not under sanctions. Latvia refuses to do so, fearing a bad image in Brussels. Meanwhile, US sanctions on Belarusian fertilizers have been lifted, but EU sanctions remain, banning transit through Latvia, while Lithuania still finds ways.

He also pointed to stalled port reforms – since the New Conservative Party opened the law in 1994, the port law remains unfinished, deterring investors. Ventspils and Liepāja operate illegally under transitional provisions. State representatives on port boards do not seek solutions or inform the public. Loginov stressed the need to consider military cargo capacity, as demonstrated in 2000 with Pentagon cooperation. Without strategic planning, the industry has no future.