More than three years ago, in October 2022, the European Prosecutor's Office, in cooperation with the Bureau for Prevention and Combating Corruption (BPBK), conducted a search in the building of the Līvāni municipality and in the private home of then-chairman Andris Vaivods ("For the Development of Latvia"), which was widely covered in the media, writes Latvijas Avīze.
Much less attention was paid to the news that on January 9, the European Prosecutor's Office decided to discontinue criminal proceedings against allegations of fraud in the implementation of industrial zone projects in Līvāni. No criminal offenses were found in the actions of former chairman A. Vaivods.
It should be reminded that in October of last year, the Bureau for Prevention and Combating Corruption (BPBK) referred to the European Prosecutor's Office to initiate criminal proceedings against three individuals in the Valka municipality for large-scale fraud in the establishment of a manufacturing zone. In November of last year, a similar case was initiated in the Valmiera region. Politicians speculate that these cases may end similarly to the case in Līvāni.
On social media, only a few reacted to the European Prosecutor's Office's decision to discontinue criminal proceedings in the Līvāni region, including former ministers of environmental protection and regional development Inga Berzina and Juris Pūce. Pūce wrote on the social network "X" that the discontinuation of criminal proceedings against A. Vaivods is a sign that "the very strange emergence of criminal cases against municipal leaders in 2022 and 2023, when they were accused of embezzling funds for selfish purposes, is gradually fading away." Pūce suggests that the cases of Valmiera City Council chairman Jānis Baiks and Valka municipality chairman Vents Armands Krauklis may also end in a similar manner. Former minister and current Saeima deputy Berzina wrote: "The loud statement from the European Prosecutor's Office and subsequent television reports ended with the case being closed. But who will compensate for the damage to the reputation and the emotional pressure experienced by the then mayor of Līvāni, Andris Vaivods?"
