TI Latvia Submits Evidence to the Ministry for Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Ministry About a Series of Criminal Violations at the Ventspils City Council.

Minister Kučinskis Must Act in Response to the Lembergs Case!

For the second time in two months, TI Latvia today submitted a letter to the Latvian minister for regional development and local government affairs, Māris Kučinskis, asking him to sack the chairman of the Ventspils City Council, Aivars Lembergs. Even before legal circumstances were evaluated, the minister announced that he would not act in relation to the Lembergs case, and that is absolutely unacceptable. TI Latvia received a formal response to its first letter, without any legal arguments in support of the minister’s decisions. That is why TI Latvia today is submitting its evidence about a series of violations by the Ventspils City Council for a second time.

Criminal prosecution has already been started, but the People’s Party’s minister believes that this is not something which affects the responsibilities of the head of a local government. In its letter, TI Latvia also points to other instances in which the chairman of the Ventspils City Council has violated the law and has ignored court rulings. Over the course of a longer period of time, the Ventspils City Council has violated the law, approved illegal decisions, and refused to implement court rulings with respect to the privatisation of residential buildings. The local government has based its decisions on territorial plans that are not in effect, and it also did not organise public hearings about construction. This represents a violation of the law on construction.

TI Latvia believes that if the criminal case related to repeated taking of major bribes, the laundering of illegally obtained money, and violations of limitations that must be observed by local government officials has been launched, Kučinskis must react by sacking Lembergs from his job.

The chairman of the TI Latvia Council, Roberts Putnis: “Kučinskis, who is a member of the prime minister’s party, has demonstrated such a gentle attitude toward the mayor of Ventspils that he leads one to question the ability of the People’s Party to guarantee the rule of law in Latvia. Indeed, one is even more suspicious about the importance of agreements among oligarchs in Latvian politics. TI Latvia has done the work which the minister should have done, and it has produced a broad report on the series of violations for which Lembergs is responsible. Kučinskis must not make the excuse of any lack of legal arguments. All that is seen here is the minister’s refusal to act and his lack of any sense of responsibility.”

Letter by TI Latvia to the Minister for regional development and local government affairs, Māris Kučinskis.