COBALT advises Jūrmala City Council in legal dispute with waste management company

The office represents Jūrmala municipality, which is one of the largest and wealthiest local governments in Latvia, in administrative court proceedings regarding dispute with the waste management company Eco Baltia Vide, which was the only waste manager in Jūrmala since 2011. Eco Baltia Vide applied to the administrative court requesting the public procurement agreement with Jūrmala City Council to be annulled, as well as to compensate damages in the amount of approximately 0,5 million euros due to disproportionate obligations provided in that agreement. The office has prepared Jūrmala City Council’s documents in the administrative court proceedings and currently represents the Council before administrative courts.

The case is of great importance as it concerns dispute rising from a public procurement agreement governed by public law, which is an issue not often dealt with by Latvian courts. Moreover, the outcome of the case may have a direct effect to the price the Jūrmala inhabitants have to pay for waste management services. Thus the court proceedings have been accompanied by an interest of public.