The Bureau for Prevention and Combating Corruption (KNAB) has initiated an internal review regarding the information voiced in mid-April about the participation of politicians from the 'New Unity' party (JV) in a seminar in Italy.
In mid-April, KNAB confirmed that it had begun assessing publicly voiced information, although the specific format of the review was not disclosed at that time. Now, the bureau has confirmed to the LETA agency that an internal review has been initiated, during which it will be determined whether the participation of politicians in the seminar in Italy complies with the law on the financing of political organizations (parties).
An internal review is an investigation conducted by a law enforcement agency regarding a possible violation of the law within the powers established by the law regulating the institution's activities, without the application of means and methods of administrative or criminal proceedings. This means that KNAB is conducting such a review to establish the veracity of the information it has, which may either confirm or refute suspicions of wrongdoing. Not every internal review leads to the initiation of an administrative or criminal case.
If no additional information is required for the review, then, according to KNAB's internal regulations, it can be completed within a month from the receipt of the information. If additional data needs to be obtained, the review may last up to three months. Furthermore, if it is objectively impossible to meet the deadlines, they may be extended, but not for more than one year and not more than three months for each extension.
Latvian television reported in mid-April that a significant number of ministers from 'New Unity', as well as the head of government, the deputy mayor of Riga, the leader of the Saeima faction, and other parliament members went on vacation to Italy at the end of one work week. The politicians participated in a seminar funded by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation at Lake Como. The foundation does not disclose the cost of the trip or which political forces were invited.
Several representatives of 'New Unity' were spotted at the end of the work week on a flight to Milan. At that time, Prime Minister Evika Silina had approved vacations for the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Education and Science, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Smart Governance and Regional Development, and the Minister of Health.
Latvian television found out that the seminar discussed economic challenges in Europe, as well as risks associated with Russia's interference in democratic electoral processes, with experts from Germany and Moldova.
The main funding for the Adenauer Foundation comes from the German budget.
'New Unity' emphasizes in its explanations that in the current 'geopolitically complex conditions, it is important to strengthen Latvia's belonging to the space of European democratic values and to promote international exchange of experiences on relevant political processes in Europe.'
Such international cooperation and exchange of experiences in the European Union is a common practice and provides knowledge that does not always reach the center of public discussions but is important for strengthening democracy, the party notes. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation has been operating in Latvia for over 30 years, and its closest political partner is 'New Unity'.
The political force also points out that its representatives participated in the seminar while on vacation, arranged in accordance with the law, and outside of their daily official duties.
