The ‘House of Moscow’ has been put up for auction again

The auction will begin on Friday, 8 August, and end on 8 September 2025 at 13:00. The starting price for the lot, which includes the building, is set at €2.142 million (with a bid increment of €10,000).

The price was last reduced before the auction in February 2025, when the property was put up for sale for €2.142 million.

The bill on the confiscation of the Moscow House from Moscow (the ownership of the building was registered in the name of the Department of Municipal Property of the Russian capital) was passed by the Seimas in its final reading in January 2024. The purpose of the bill on the alienation of the property was stated as ensuring the security of the Latvian state, including the prevention and timely elimination of threats to the democratic state system. (It was reported that the State Security Service had established that after 24 February 2022, the premises of the building were still being leased to persons whose activities showed signs of support for the aggressive foreign policy of the russian federation, and since hostile and harmful activities were being carried out there, Latvia was obliged to take action).

The Ministry of Culture proposed that after the takeover, the building be used for the development of culture and art and the preservation of cultural heritage in accordance with the principles of national cultural policy.

However, in February, it became known that the house would be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and its subordinate Valsts nekustamie īpašumi, and that VNĪ was authorised to sell the Moscow House at auction. The proceeds from the sale are planned to be transferred to Ukraine or Ukrainians.

The first auction began in August 2024, but even then, the real estate company Latio assumed that it would most likely have to be repeated.

Source: LSM+