Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has prepared semi-annual activity report for the time period from 1 July to 31 December, 2006.
Summary
In accordance with the Law on Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (Section 4, Paragraph three, Clause 14) the semi-annual activity report for the time period from 1 July to 31 December, 2006 for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament (Saeima) has been prepared.
The last six months were the time when professionalism and effectiveness of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (hereinafter referred as the Bureau) have been acknowledged. The Director of the Bureau Dr. Aleksejs Loskutovs emphasizes: „We can state that corruption level in the country decreases. And yet because of the increasing professionalism of the Bureau’s officials and the accumulated experience, the hidden nature of the corruption decreases and increasing number of committed criminal offences are detected.” There is also a trend observed that the criminal offences detected are becoming more sophisticated. The following facts show it – public officials were held liable for bribery in such specific areas as procurement or adjudication of cases in a court.
By 30 December 2006 more than 30 of all criminal cases investigated by the Bureau had been adjudicated in court. In at least 90% of these cases the guilty verdicts have entered into effect acknowledging respective public officials guilt in committing a criminal offence. The Deputy Director of the Bureau Mrs. Juta Strīķe finds that "analysis of our work allows us to conclude that the most brutal type of bribery – extortion of a bribe – has decreased lately. Hence a briber understands that a person who does not want to pay will come to us for help”.
During the review period the Bureau has initiated 23 criminal proceedings. 25 criminal proceedings against 35 persons in total have been sent to Prosecutor’s office suggesting prosecution. 7 criminal proceedings have been terminated.
Regrettably there are still many cases detected in controlling activities of public officials when a public official violates the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Activities of Public Officials by taking a decision which effects his/her interests or personal or property interests of his/her relatives or by breaching restrictions on additional employment.
In the review period 42 persons have been held administratively liable for violating restriction imposed on public officials; 35 persons have been penalized with fines in amount of Ls 2 390; 7 persons have been given verbal reprimands; 30 persons have been asked to reimburse losses caused to the state in amount of Ls 36 817,50; 42 persons have reimbursed voluntary losses caused to the state in amount of Ls 15 147. During the review period the State Revenue Service has started an audit of personal income tax of 16 persons based on the Bureau’s suggestion. On grounds of the audits findings the State Revenue Service has taken decisions on additional tax payable and has penalized 5 persons with fines in total amount of Ls 198 265.
In 2006 the work on coordination of implementation of the National Programme for Corruption Prevention and Combating 2004-2008 continued. Despite the fact that in many institutions an intensive work has been done in order to prepare the necessary amendments in legal acts aimed at prevention of corruption risks foreseen in the Programme, regrettably we have to conclude that essential tasks of the Programme are not implemented. At least for one year adoption of draft law on “Assets Declarations of Natural Persons” is postponed. Draft laws on “On Prevention of Conflict of Interest”, „On Lease of State and Municipal Property” and “Amendments to the Administrative Violations Code” have not received the necessary support for approval on the executive level for different reasons.
„By delaying adoption of several substantial draft laws the implementation of an effective anti-corruption policy in some corruption prevention areas is hampered”, the Deputy Director Mr. Alvis Vilks points out.
The Bureau’s monitoring work over financial activities of political parties and provided consultations on observation of law’s requirements have given positive results. Most of the parties are precisely following formal requirements of the law. The second half of 2006 was also the time of great challenges. For the first time such Parliamentarian elections took place where the pre-election campaign financing limits needed to be observed. The Bureau for the first time in its existence was able to perform the full monitoring of this process during whole pre-election period. As the Parliament had not adopted draft law on “Pre-election campaigning”, which sets the procedure for third party political advertising, therefore control procedures for third-party political advertisement were significantly cumbersome. This fact caused a broad society’s reaction.
During the review period representatives of the Bureau have participated as speakers at 17 training seminars organized by different state and municipal institutions. The aim of these seminars is to explain legal norms of the Law “On Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Activities of Public Officials”, professional ethics requirements for public officials and to recommend how to strengthen internal anti-corruption measures within institutions. During this half a year about 500 public officials participated in such informative seminars.
During the review period the Report Center of the Bureau has received 85 visitors and 548 calls to the hotline (8002070). 7033 documents have been received and registered by the Bureau; 96 from them were anonymous complains; 110 claims made by legal persons, 425 natural persons claims on probable corruptive actions by public officials. The Bureau has sent 6179 documents to the state and municipal institutions, as well as legal and natural persons.
By 31 December, 2006 there were 133 employees of the Bureau and 17 vacancies.
The full report on KNAB's activities during the time period from 1 July to 31 December 2006 in Latvian is available here >>>.