In an interview with the Latvian daily “Vesti Segodnya”, an unnamed representative of “Kontora” said he sees nothing wrong with buying a soul: “Business is business. We give people palpable cash. If a man values his soul, he’ll definitely pay back the credit. I guess, it’s all fair. Everyone can decide for himself, what’s more important”.

The value of the credit is 1 per cent for each day, and money should be paid back in 90 days or less. However, the agreement also states that, later, the precious asset known as the soul may be bought back from Kontora on its own terms, most probably implying an extra sum of money to be negotiated in each case individually.

The priest of the Holy Trinity Orthodox church in Riga says, “This is a very dangerous undertaking. How can you sell you soul? It’s immortal! If a man disowns his soul, he renounces God, and will not see life eternal!”

Witnesses say people are queuing up in front of the loan company.