TI Latvia encourages international constractors to take part in the National library construction tender

Hoping to encourage as much competition among builders as possible, the New Three Brothers (J3B) agency last week sent out letters to the world’s 100 leading construction companies, asking them to take part in the competition. TI Latvia today supported the J3B initiative, sending out an additional letter to the same recipients to explain the particular anti-corruption efforts and instruments which have been introduced in this process by the Ministry of Culture and the J3B agency.

TI Latvia executive chairperson Roberts Putnis: “With this letter, TI Latvia wishes to enhance trust in the anti-corruption efforts of Latvia’s public administration. International companies consider Latvia to be a terribly corrupt country, and they might be worried about dishonest competition. It is important for TI Latvia to show that corruption is not something in which Latvians automatically engage. The people of Latvia oppose corruption, and specific steps are being taken to improve the situation.”

TI Latvia hopes that a high level of competition will be an instrument which will allow competitors to monitor each other. This will reduce the possibility of dishonesty in the process.

In its letter, TI Latvia points out that the company which will do work on the library building will have to take the J3B transparency and anti-corruption policy into account, ensuring that the company operates in line with the high standard set by Transparency International Business Principles for Countering Bribery. TI Latvia also informed the companies of the e-mail whistle blowing instrument installed by TI Latvia trough the e-mail address j3b@delna.lv