Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs visited Rēzekne
On July 3 of this year, the Minister of Economics of the Republic of Latvia Jānis Vitenbergs visited Rēzekne with a delegation consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Economics and Member of the Saeima Janīna Kursīte. During the visit, the delegation visited two Rēzekne SEZ commercial companies SIA “LEAX Rēzekne” RSEZ and SIA “MIDIS” RSEZ, as well as met with representatives of Rēzekne SEZ Authority, Rēzekne SEZ commercial companies and Rēzekne City Council.
During the visit, the delegation got acquainted with one of the largest Rēzekne SEZ companies “LEAX Rēzekne”, which produces metal parts for such transport manufacturers as VOLVO, MAN and Scania. It is worth mentioning that the company has implemented a large-scale expansion with state support last year and started operating in a new sphere - the production of electric car parts.
Following the visit, the delegation went to the industrial territory of Rēzekne SEZ, where Rēzekne City Council has implemented several infrastructure development projects. One of them is the production complex in Viļakas Street 1 completed in 2018, where three companies currently operate, including Rēzekne SEZ commercial company SIA “MIDIS” RSEZ, as well as wood manufacturer SIA “VTI Avoti” and cafe “Pērtnieku Gardumi”. Guests were introduced to the city's economic development trends and business environment in general. The Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs positively assessed the importance of Rēzekne SEZ in the development of Rēzekne so far, as well as expressed hope that the practical examples seen during the visit will help to understand how the government can help to promote even faster development.
In order to better understand the business environment in Rēzekne and to discuss possible cooperation, Rēzekne SEZ commercial companies and other local companies were invited to join the conversation with the Minister of Economics. Several entrepreneurs mentioned difficulties caused by the COVID-19 virus crisis and asked the Minister what support tools would be available to companies that had suffered from it. In response, the Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs informed: "The Ministry has developed solutions to support the consequences of COVID-19 for tourism, exporting and manufacturing companies, and in parallel, two new state finance institution Altum funds will be established, which will enable companies to restructure in order to continue operating".
Sandra Ežmale, the CEO of Rēzekne SEZ Authority, recognizes the opinion expressed by the Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs and the parliamentary secretary Jurģis Miezainis about the inter-institutional cooperation in such an issue as spatial planning. As it was emphasized, the Minister of Economics Jānis Vitenbergs has already given a task to update the issues in the development of spatial plans in order to find common solutions and a common denominator in cooperation with the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and the Latvian Investment and Development Agency.
Also such objects as the Faculty of Engineering of the Rēzekne Academy of Technology, the Zeimuļs Creative Services Center of Eastern Latvia and the newly built Olympic Center of Rēzekne were visited during the visit.
Photo: A.Lebeds