In the infectious diseases unit of Rēzekne Hospital, less than four months ago, a €3.85 m renovation of the building was completed. The hospital's management did not allow Latvian Television to see the recently repaired corridors, but it is also visible from the outside – defects in the building are present.
The hospital confirmed there was a problem. The communicable diseases unit building is an architectural monument of national significance and it was said to have prevented the possibility of insulating the facade, the hospital claimed.
"It is this aspect that has created an additional risk in the construction process [..]. The problem has been identified in the attic in some spots, but this is not affecting rooms where patients are. Currently, a technical solution is being developed to prevent this situation as soon as possible within the scope of the guarantee,” explained Rēzekne Hospital representative Līga Vaičule-Kozlovska.
The owner of the hospital is the municipality of Rēzekne. Shareholder Georgijs Orlovs admitted he was not aware of such a problem because he did not intervene in economic matters, and entrusted them to the hospital board. The board President declined to comment.
Construction work was carried out by "Latgalia". It belongs to the brother and wife of Aleksandrs Bartaševics, former mayor of Rēzekne, who has now been dismissed as a way of being held responsible for major budget issues and unreported liabilities in the city. The mayor himself attended the building's reopening in September.
"I cannot influence what is happening in hospital because a law has been passed that I am not eligible to represent municipal capital companies. I cannot [influence] the company or my relatives," Bartaševičs commented.
Mihails Bartaševics, head of Latgalia, did not provide answers to questions about construction work.
It should be recalled that due to the risk of conflict of interest payments to the municipality of Rēzekne have been suspended in several projects where works have been entrusted to this company.
