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Uldis Augulis
Official portrait, 2010
Minister of Welfare [lv]
Assumed office
15 September 2023
Prime MinisterEvika Siliņa
Preceded byEvika Siliņa
Minister for Transport of Latvia
In office
3 November 2010 – 25 October 2011
Prime MinisterValdis Dombrovskis
Preceded byKaspars Gerhards
Succeeded byAivis Ronis
Member of the Saeima
Assumed office
6 November 2018
In office
17 October 2011 – 23 January 2014
Personal details
Born (1972-03-16) 16 March 1972 (age 51)
Dobele, Latvian SSR
Political partyUnion of Greens and Farmers
Alma materUniversity of Latvia

Uldis Augulis (born 16 March 1972) is a Latvian politician and a member of the Union of Greens and Farmers. He holds a bachelor's degree in financial management from the University of Latvia.[1] He was the former Welfare Minister from 2009 to 2010 and again between 2014 and 2016, and also again since 2023.[2] He was also the former Minister of Transport from 2010 to 2011 and again between 2016 and 2019. He was also the acting Minister of Justice from March to April 2010. Augulis was elected to the Saeima on October 2, 2011.

Controversy

Augulis caused controversy with his prioritisation of road and rail links between Riga and Moscow while delaying regional EU projects such as Rail Baltica citing a lack of funds.[3]

Latvia has already lost EUR 12.2 million (LVL 8.54 million) of EU funds due to hesitation over the Rail Baltica project,[4] and the EU Transport Commissioner has stated there is no chance that the EU will contribute funds to the proposed Moscow link[5] despite Augulis' assertion that the EU could contribute up to 85%.[6]

The high-speed railroad project between Riga and Moscow is economically justified due to increasing passenger and cargo turnover, and it is not political, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said after a meeting with Augulis.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Union of Greens and Farmers' ministers". Union of Greens and Farmers. Retrieved 2011-05-09.
  2. ^ "The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia: Uldis Augulis". Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia. Retrieved 2010-04-17.
  3. ^ "Transport 'guru' Augulis speaks before thinking". The Baltic Times. Apr 13, 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  4. ^ Alla Petrova (7 April 2011). "Latvia may have lost LVL 8.54 mln due to hesitation with Rail Baltica". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  5. ^ "Kallas Reproves Latvia for Derailing Rail Baltica". Estonian Public Broadcasting. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Four-lane highway to be built from Riga to Moscow". Baltic Business News. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
  7. ^ Alla Petrova (7 April 2011). "Russian Transport minister: high speed railroad project between Riga and Moscow is economically justified". The Baltic Course. Retrieved 9 May 2011.


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