Today  cash  auction  of  JSC "Latvijas Gaze" shares took place at Riga

Stock  Exchange,  one share price was 12.51 LVL and all the offered 798

000  shares  were  sold,  what  is  2%  of company's share capital. The

auction  price was 8.93 LVL:  the minimal price was set at 3.58 LVL per

share.  The  auction price also surpassed the exceed the average market

price  for  the  day,  which  was  LVL  4.15,  by LVL 8.36. The auction

turnover  was 9 982 980 LVL. Latvian Privatisation Agency, on behalf of

Latvian Government, was the seller of shares. Both domestic and foreign

investors  were admitted to the auction. Aivars Slokenbergs, Riga Stock

Exchange  vice-president:  "Auction showed that interest about Latvijas

Gāze is higher than forecasted. Altogether 23 buy orders were submitted

and  total demand in terms of number of securities amounted to 3.2 mln.

The  highest  price bid was 15.01 LVL" Two previous auctions took place

on  March 27 and December 18, 2000. 26.85% of the company share capital

(2.63   LVL   per  share)  and  2%  (4.72  LVL  per  share)  were  sold

respectively.