On 8 December, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau of Latvia (KNAB) and “Transparency International LATVIA” (“Sabiedrība par atklātību – Delna”) hosted the conference “Corruption – a Threat to National and Global Security” that was dedicated to the International Anti-Corruption Day and gathered together representatives of the public, private, and non-governmental sectors who emphasised their and each individual’s role in reducing corruption.
At the opening of the conference, Director of KNAB Jēkabs Straume said: “Corruption eradication is not the task of a single national authority, i.e. the KNAB, the public administration as a whole or individual non-governmental organisations. It is also an equally important responsibility for the private sector, which is the pillar of Latvia’s economic growth, and for the population.”
United States ambassador to Latvia Christopher Robinson: “Your presence here today is an example of purposeful action. Each of you plays a vital role – government makes law, law enforcement uncovers wrongdoings and enforces law, the financial sector ensures transparency, NGOs advocate for accountability, and the public’s vigilance holds all accountable. I urge you to persist in your collaboration and advocacy, as your work contributes significantly to creating a more transparent and just society, not just here in Latvia, but worldwide. Your commitment and efforts are pivotal in achieving our shared goals against corruption.”
Inese Tauriņa, Director of Delna: “The Transparency International annual Corruption Perceptions Index has shown for seven years that Latvia is stagnating in the fight against corruption. We supposedly know what needs to be done to reduce corruption. We have a number of good laws. But this is not enough, because well-written laws are not always respected. It is therefore important that law enforcement authorities, entrepreneurs, and public organisations work together to discuss and find bold solutions.”
In the first panel discussion chaired by prof. Kristīne Strada-Rozenberga, Deputy Director for Investigation Matters of KNAB Ineta Cīrule, Executive State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Mihails Papsujevičs, and Prosecutor General Juris Stukāns spoke about the stages of criminal proceedings, i.e. pre-trial investigation, adjudication, and prosecution of perpetrators. The participants assessed the current situation in the fight against corruption and identified future challenges, namely, to strengthen interinstitutional cooperation at national and cross-border level, to reduce the sense of impunity for involvement in corruption, and to promote dialogue with society, including young people and the private sector.
In the second discussion, Member of the Board of SCHWENK Latvia Evita Goša together with Ilze Garoza from KPMG Latvia and Member of the Board of VAS “Latvijas autoceļu uzturētājs” Vilnis Vitkovskis, highlighted the role of the private sector in reducing corruption. The discussion participants pointed out that the growth and sustainability of a company is incompatible with corruption, and shared their experience with practical measures to introduce and implement anti-corruption measures, e.g. regular training for employees at different levels, development of a gift acceptance policy, demonstration of a clear attitude towards corruption both within the internal operations and in public communication of a company.
In the second part of the conference, British investigative journalist and writer Oliver Bullough delivered a guest lecture on anti-money laundering, praising Latvia’s contribution in this area in recent years.
In the closing panel discussion chaired by the Director of Delna I. Tauriņa, the Financial Intelligence Unit Latvia Deputy Head of Strategic Analysis Division Matīss Kļaviņš, an advisor to the Finance Latvia Association Laima Letiņa, and an expert on good governance Inese Voika looked back at the fight against oligarchs, money laundering, and corruption in Latvia and the Western financial system. The participants also praised Latvia’s positive work in applying sanctions and ensuring transparency of information, and also the public accessibility to the register of beneficial owners, which can serve as an example to other European countries.
KNAB and Delna thanks the conference supporters: the British Embassy in Latvia, the Serious and Organised Crime Network, the US Department of Justice and US State Department, KPMG Latvia.