Eu Court's Ruling in Rimsevics Case Was Unexpected Precedent, It's Pointless to Blame Anyone - Karins

RIGA, March 6 (LETA) - The ruling delivered by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Bank of Latvia Governor Ilmars Rimsevics' case was an unexpected precedent, Prime Minster Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) believes.

Karins described the ruling, annulling Rimsevics' suspension from office while he is being probed for graft, as a "surprise to the whole lawyers' community" because it was the first time the CJEU overruled a national court's verdict while everyone believed that the case was not in the EU court's jurisdiction.

In this situation, the prime minister believes there is no one to blame for this outcome.

As reported, the Court of Justice of the European Union has overruled Latvian authorities' decision suspending Bank of Latvia president Ilmars Rimsevics from his office.

This measure was temporarily imposed on Rimsevics in the context of a preliminary criminal investigation concerning acts of bribery and corruption which the person concerned is suspected of committing.

The court said that a prohibition, even a temporary one as in the present case, on a governor of a national central bank performing his duties is a relieving from office.

Prosecutor General Eriks Kalnmeiers said in an interview with the Latvian public television on Monday that the Justice Ministry's officials are responsible for the lost case against Bank of Latvia Governor Ilmars Rimsevics in the Court of Justice of the European Union as they were in charge of the strategy and tactics, while the representative of the Prosecutor General's Office was just an adviser.

Kalnmeiers said that he does not want to look for scapegoats because the officials did everything they could do. Besides, Kalnmeiers believe that Rimsevics at present may not...