The Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has concluded the Fourth Evaluation Round on corruption prevention in respect of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors, and has confirmed Latvia having implemented 11 of the 14 recommendations. GRECO also acknowledges that Latvia has fully or partially implemented 14 of the 17 recommendations made during the Fifth Evaluation Round on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies.
On the 86 th Plenary meeting, held online 26-29 October 2020, GRECO reviewed the progress of Latvian authorities in implementing the recommendations of the Fourth and Fifth evaluation rounds. GRECO greatly appreciated the abolishment of administrative immunity of judges and prosecutors. Latvia has thus implemented all recommendations of the Fourth Evaluation Round in relation to the activities of judges and prosecutors.
GRECO indicated that Latvia should continue work on the prevention of corruption in relation to members of the parliament, recommending to revise and update the code of ethics of the Saeima, as well as to strengthen the internal integrity mechanisms thereof. Although the Fourth Evaluation Round was concluded in the last plenary meeting, GRECO invites Latvia to continue submitting updates on the implementation of the recommendations, including on the drafting process of the lobbying legislation in Saeima.
Work continues on the Fifth Evaluation Round, which reviewed in depth the prevention of corruption among top executive functions and law enforcement agencies (State Police and State Border Guard). Since the publication of 17 GRECO recommendations in summer 2019, Latvia has currently fully implemented four, and partially implemented ten of the recommendations.
Following the implemented recommendations, the State Chancellery performed for the first time a risk analysis of the integrity of political officials, and drafted guidelines for cooperation between political and professional officials. Ministries also published information on statutory and supernumerary advisory employees on their official websites. The State Police and State Border Guard, in accordance with the recommendations, drafted and adopted a new Code of Ethics and Regulations of the Ethics Commission.
Latvia must submit information about further implementation of Fifth Evaluation Round recommendations until 30 April 2022.
Latvia would like to express its gratitude to members of the GRECO Secretariat and international experts for their work and contribution in preparing both reports.
GRECO’s objective is to improve the capacity of its members to fight corruption and monitor the compliance with undertaken obligations by way of mutual evaluation. You can read the GRECO Compliance Report on Latvia on the website of the GRECO and the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau: https://www.coe.int/en/web/greco/-/latvia-publication-of-two-compliance-reports
Latvia acceded to the Council of Europe Agreement establishing the Group of States against corruption on 15 June 2000. Compliance with the obligations thereof in Latvia is coordinated by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau.