Management of the Tukums reserve airfield in the 1990s.

“When the Russian army withdrew from the 1st sector, its properties were taken over by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia. Management was not always successful, the Ministry of Defence simply refused some of the Russian army monsters because there was and still is a lack of funds for management. Many places have been vandalized, but the Tukums reserve airfield has been leased to SIA Durbe, which manages it. Now the State Audit Office is initiating a criminal case for the mismanagement of the airfield. The commander of the NAF Air Force, Colonel Kārlis Kīns, told the NRA: “Thanks to the fact that SIA Durbe manages the airfield, it is in working order, and as a specialist I can say that an airplane can land there at any time. Moreover, all the funds have been invested in the maintenance of the airfield by SIA Durbe alone. The Ministry of Defence has not given a single centime for the maintenance of the airfield. Durbe also helps protect the territory from non-ferrous metal thieves, because many Russian servicemen have not left anywhere yet and knows the territory perfectly - knows what to steal.» Laimonis Mucenieks, General Director of SIA Durbe: «If I didn't manage the airfield, it would be another Vaiņode (Vaiņode airfield was handed over to the municipality and has been completely looted - JH). As an enthusiast, I maintain it for the benefit of the Latvian state, without deriving any material benefit from it, because I am not indifferent to the future of Latvia.» The State Audit Office believes that the airfield is being looted. The State Audit Office is not satisfied that 1,190 concrete slabs for the airfield runway were sold to SIA Durbe very cheaply - approximately 12 m 2 concrete slabs, which were made specifically for airfields, for 12 lats each, although their market price is approximately 60 lats. Laimonis Mucenieks explained that the slabs were removed from the airfield on the basis of an agreement between SIA Durbe and the Ministry of Defence. «The Ministry of Defence ordered me to conduct an inventory so that the airfield could be entered in the land register, and for this they allowed me to take the concrete slabs, because the ministry did not have the money to conduct an inventory. The price of the slabs was determined by the real estate valuation office of the Tukums district department of the State Land Service, and it is more expensive than the Russian army had valued when it left. They valued the slabs at eight lats each. In addition, only the damaged slabs, which are no longer suitable for the runway, were removed from the airfield territory. This is constantly need to be repaired and restored, so the usable plates were placed on the runway," Laimonis Mucenieks informed. Some of the removed concrete plates are located at the Durbe gas station, while others are located near the company's house, office, and elsewhere. Uldis Svilpe, the then head of the real estate valuation office and current deputy chairman of the Tukums City Council, explained: "The valuation office does not value the market price, but the construction costs. In addition, we have to work with very old price lists, using different coefficients, because there is no price list that would correspond to the current economic situation. These price lists do not mention anything about the valuation of military facilities, because no one valued army property during the Soviet era. The plates were produced in the early 1960s, and when we valued them in 1995, it was assumed that they had 50% of their useful life. I do not think that we have committed a violation." The State Audit Office conducted an audit of the Tukums reserve airfield two years ago and did not reveal any violations. Now the State Audit Office believes that there has been a embezzlement of state property, and a criminal case should be initiated. Vilnis Grasis, a member of the Council of the Economic Audit Department of the State Audit Office, said: "We will propose terminating the contract with SIA Durbe, because the airfield is being managed dishonestly." The airfield territory is guarded by 19 soldiers and 6 officers. At least three times a week, they detain someone who has coveted property on the airfield territory, most often non-ferrous metal. Durbe SIA, as Laimonis Mucenieks assures, employs 46 guards who guard the territory. In Jauntukums, at Aviācijas iela 3, there is also a five-story slum, which many Tukums residents remember as the most beautiful house in the microdistrict. The house was equipped with an officers' hotel. The Latvian Ministry of Defense did not manage it, but did not return it to the city either. Now only the walls remain of the house. Who is to blame - Durbe SIA, which has nevertheless preserved the Tukums airfield, or the Ministry of Defense, which is unable to manage its property due to lack of funds?! "