Latvian State Forests paid NGOs over 256,000 euros

Latvian State Forests paid more than 256,000 euros in membership fees to non-governmental organisations in 2025, with some groups relying on the company’s payments for half or more of their membership income, LSM reported, citing the investigative programme De facto.

Some organisations would be unable to continue operating without the fees, the report said. Over the past five years, the state-owned company has paid membership fees to 37 NGOs and made payments to 28 of them last year.

The largest payment in 2025 went to the Latvian Forest Certification Council: 62,454 euros. Over five years, Latvian State Forests paid the organisation 287,000 euros. The council aims to promote understanding of sustainable forestry and takes part in legislative discussions. This spring, it backed controversial proposed amendments to the Forest Law that would have lowered the felling age for many trees.

Latvian State Forests’ corporate relations manager, Daiga Grinfeld, said membership fees were set by each organisation’s statutes and approved by its members. The company’s fee reflects its size, she said, adding that Latvian State Forests does not set the amount itself.

The company also provides money to NGOs and funds through donations. A 45,000-euro donation was used to produce a film and an online campaign. Last year, Latvian State Forests resumed donations to the Forest Development Fund, which had been suspended in 2022 after an audit. It also paid 40,000 euros in membership fees to the Latvian Forest Owners Association and made a payment to an organisation that had lost its public benefit status.

The overall picture of payments by state-owned companies to various associations remains unclear, the report said.