Investments, Latvia, Markets and Companies

Viesturs Koziols.

Koziols said he had paid for the controlling interest in Diena with his own money.

Asked if he was connected with with the political association For A Good Latvia in any way, Koziols confirmed that he was a friend and a business partner of Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way leader Ainars Slesers, and that he sympathized with Slesers' activities. Koziols went on to say that he had signed the manifesto of For A Good Latvia, but he had not been attending the association's meetings recently. He also said that he would do everything in his power to ensure that his personal political opinions have no influence on Diena editors, informs LETA.

Koziols does not plan to dismiss any of the newspaper's employees at the moment, but he will meet with the staff of Diena and other employees at the joint-stock Diena already tomorrow. Koziols said his goal was to make Diena an influential mass medium.

Koziols though declined to say anything about his long-term goals at Diena, and he also could not say what could happen to the company in a year or two.

As reported, Guntis Bojars, editor in chief at Dienas Mediji, this morning dismissed editors in chief of the Diena newspaper and the "Diena.lv" website Sergejs Ancupovs and Gunita Ogrina from office.

Ancupovs' role will be taken up by his deputy, Dzintars Zaluksnis, on a trial basis.

Ancupovs and Zaluksnis were both appointed on July 12.