All families of those, who lost their lives in Zolitūde tragedy, have received material support from “Maxima”
This summer “Maxima Latvija” has made the final payment to the families of persons, who were killed in Zolitūde tragedy. All victims, who suffered injuries in Zolitūde tragedy, have also received material support from the company before.
The final payment completes the joint collaboration period, during which all families of persons, killed in the tragedy, had received material support from “Maxima Latvija”. As reported before, in 2016 the association “Zolitūde 21.11.“, representatives of the victims and SIA “Maxima Latvija” reached an agreement on provision of material support of 100 000 euros to each family of a deceased person.
Andris Vilcmeiers, Head of SIA “Maxima Latvija”: “We are grateful to everyone for efficient collaboration to ensure financial support and aid from “Maxima” to all victims of Zolitūde tragedy, keeping the promise made by the company.”
Jānis Kubilis, attorney-at-law at Attorneys at law office “Vilgerts”, organizer of settlement procedure: “Payment of this support has completed a significant stage in matters related to provision of financial support to victims of Zolitūde tragedy. From legal perspective, a tragedy of such scale was an unpreceded event in Latvia. That is why it took time and patient endeavours from all parties involved to resolve the matters regarding provision of material support to the victims. I would like to thank the company “Maxima Latvija”, who has ensured significant financial support to all victims of Zolitūde tragedy, has been a decent negotiation partner and could serve as an example for other companies, involved in the tragedy, which are still being prosecuted”.
This summer the Vidzeme District Court has acquitted the company in civil case, concluding that “Maxima Latvija” was unable to establish the cause of collapse of the building roof and that the false activation of fire alarm shortly before the roof collapse was just a coincidence. That was the last civil case, adjudicated under the context of Zolitūde tragedy in relation to the claims of the relatives of deceased persons against the company “Maxima Latvija”. Regardless of the acquitting court judgement, in respect to the previous promises, “Maxima Latvija” was ready to provide support of 100 000 euros to the families of those killed, which has arranged as an agreement and the support payments were made.
As reported before, in 2016 the association “Zolitūde 21.11.“, representatives of the victims and SIA “Maxima Latvija” reached an agreement on provision of material support of 100 000 euros to each family of a deceased person, while in 2018 the parties agreed on provision of support to victims, who sustained injuries, allocating nearly 900 000 euros for this purpose. Accepting support was voluntary choice of every victim and the families.
In the beginning of 2019 SIA “Maxima Latvija” also made available material support for the persons who had suffered moral harm in the tragedy.
So far “Maxima Latvija” has made payments of nearly 9 million euros in total to provide support to the victims, including the relatives of those deceased, victims, who sustained bodily injuries, children, who lost their parents in the tragedy and also those who sustained moral harm.
Media information:
Jānis Beseris
„Maxima Latvija”, Director of Corporate relations department
Ph.: 29666603
E-mail: janis.beseris@maxima.lv