Latvia to get World’s Best Library

Transparency International Latvia urges the Ministry of Culture to re-examine the costs for the national library construction project "Gaismas pils". The signed contracts require LVL 135.3 million, which exceeds allocated funding for the project by LVL 18.8 million, not including a line item of LVL 60 million for “miscellaneous expenses”. “We’ve examined the costs, and they’re spot on,” said Ministry of Culture spokesman Janis Krapnieks by phone, from his villa in Costa Brava. “Soon, world's best library will be found in Latvia, and our people should be proud of that fact.” Asked on what basis the Latvian National Library could be judged the world’s best, Krapnieks replied “by cost of course. Ours will be the most expensive, therefore also the best.”