Culture, Financial Services, Latvia, Real Estate

Culture Minister Ints Dalderis (People's Party) stressed that reducing the LNB costs will only be considered after the Culture Ministry's budget for 2010 is clear, reports LETA.

This is when the ministry will know how much money it will be allotted from the budget, and start talks with the construction companies on further implementation of the project with the funds that will be available.

The Culture Ministry is not planning for now to alter the agreement on the construction of a new National Library building because the construction costs condition in the agreement is in interest of the state.

Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (New Era) also stressed that further implementation of the LNB project must be considered in the context of the 2010 state budget, and this project should not be given priority just yet.

On the other hand, Maris Saukans, a representative of the construction companies participating in the LNB project, urged Dalderis not to withhold information. The companies are ready to cooperate and revise their costs, but they have to know the minimum funding amount for 2010.

The Riga Construction Board gave the go-ahead for the project on June 18 last year. The construction of the new LNB building started in a ceremony on June 20. The LNB project is to be implemented by the fall of 2011.