The Riga City Council plans to dismiss the director of the Riga Digital Agency, Arnis Gulbis. A disciplinary case had previously been initiated against the official due to charging his personal electric vehicle using municipal electricity, but he has already submitted his resignation.
The head of the Riga Digital Agency, Arnis Gulbis, will soon leave his position. A corresponding draft decision has been prepared for consideration by the Riga City Council. According to the document, Gulbis is set to be relieved of his duties starting June 19.
The situation surrounding the agency head gained significant public attention after it became known that a disciplinary case had been initiated against him. The reason was the use of municipal electricity to charge his personal electric vehicle.
Opposition representatives called not only for the official to be dismissed but also for an appeal to the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) during the previous council meeting.
Gulbis himself does not deny the violation.
He informed the LETA agency that he acknowledged using municipal electricity to charge his car and has already paid the imposed fine of 170 euros. At the same time, the official claims that his decision to resign is related not only to the disciplinary case.
"I submitted my resignation because I do not wish to continue working in such an environment," Gulbis stated.
In his opinion, his work and the agency's activities are being assessed unfairly and subjectively.
Gulbis believes that insufficient attention is being paid to the results the agency has achieved during his leadership. In particular, he mentioned attracting European funding, initiatives to increase the transparency of procurement, and attempts to change the established procurement system in the field of information technology.
"This is not the result I hoped for," he admitted.
For the Riga City Council, this story goes beyond a disciplinary violation. It touches on a broader issue of managing digital projects and procurements, which have regularly been in the public spotlight in recent years.
Now, the deputies must make a final decision on terminating Gulbis's powers and determine the future leadership of the agency.
