Kalnmeiers Says Justice Ministry's Officials Are Responsible for Latvia's Loss to Rimsevics in Eu Court

RIGA, March 5 (LETA) Teo 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 a consultant, said Prosecutor General Eriks Kalnmeiers in an interview with the Latvian public television on Monday.

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 obstruct investigation.

Kalnmeiers said this in response to the comment of Justice Minister Janis Bordans (New Conservative Party, JKP) who blames former prime minister Maris Kucinskis (Greens/Farmers), former justice minister Dzintars Rasnacs (National Alliance), Prosecutor General Eriks Kalnmeiers and Corruption Prevention Bureau chief Jekabs Straume for Latvia's loss at court against Rimsevics.

Bordans argued that said public officials were responsible for the choice of tactics in the legal dispute between the Latvian state and the Bank of Latvia governor who is under investigation for large scale graft. The main responsibility for the lost court case lies with the Prosecutor General's Office which was faced with a dilemma either to treat the Court of Justice of the European Union respectfully and share the evidence incriminating Rimsevics or stick to its position and withhold this information

Kalnmeiers who was surprised about the court's decision last week, now said that the risk was deliberate and the outcome was quite predictable and caused by unwillingness to reveal evidence as early as last September. Kalnmeiers said that there had been an alternative variant, but the outcome would have been the same, only the conclusions could be softer in the verdict.

The prosecutor general said that he cannot tell when Rimsevics' case will be sent to court.

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...