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Riga mayor dismissed from office after corruption scandal

This instruction can be challenged in court within 30 days

Nils Usakovs Artyom Geodakan/TASS

Nils Usakovs

© Artyom Geodakan/TASS

MOSCOW, April 5. /TASS/. Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs has been dismissed from his office, Latvia’s Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development Juris Puce said in an instruction published in a government paper on Friday.

"In accordance with Part 1 of Article 93 of the Law "On local self-governing authorities" I dismiss Nils Usakovs from his post of the Riga Duma (Council) chairman for failure to fulfill duties under the law and violating regulatory acts," the document says.

These alleged violations include inconsistencies in a report on the registered capital of the Riga transportation enterprise Rigas satiksme and budget injections in it. The document says that Usakovs is fully responsible for all inconsistencies as a mayor of Latvia’s capital.

This instruction can be challenged in court within 30 days.

In late January, the Corruption Prevention Bureau carried out searches at the office and home of Nils Usakovs in connection with a criminal case related to this transportation enterprise, which was at the center of a major corruption scandal at the end of last year. This was related to the supplies of trolley buses and buses at an inflated price. The mayor rejected all accusations against him. Latvia’s nationalists demanded his resignation, but Usakovs retained his post.

Later, Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Juris Puce stated that the ministry had launched an investigation into the activities of the Riga Duma. On March 21, the ministry announced that the checks had been completed and alleged violations of the law had been uncovered. The Riga mayor was given a week-long deadline to clarify the situation.

According to the local legislation, the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister has the right to dismiss the mayor or initiate the dissolution of the Riga Duma. Earlier, Usakovs had stated many times that should any illegal decision be taken on dismissing him, he would appeal it in court.

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