How much confidence do people have that public officials and public services are free from corruption?

Also, Aleksey Loskutov, the head of the KNAB, has said that “first, we must say that, like society, we too would like to catch the big fish, which we could write on a billboard as our achievement. The bigger the fish the better it protects itself legally, because with big money one has opportunities to enlist expensive legal assistance. On the other hand, speaking about corruptive relations, if a problem is solved by the principle ‘a favour for a favour,’ the solidarity between both involved parties is so great that it is nearly impossible for us to get to such people.”⁴¹

The cohesion of the corruptive environment is one of the major obstacles for combating corruption. To provide it with a counterforce, one needs to unite those forces of the state and the civil society who work to promote integrity in public office and in politics.

Summary: The current chances of minimizing so-called state capture with the help of the legal framework are very weak. High-level corruption is usually based on finely designed and complicated schemes, which are very difficult to uncover and prove (as was clearly demonstrated by the case of the three million lats and the investigations of the owners of Ventspils businesses and digital television). A positive aspect is that the media, the KNAB and scholars have broadly discussed the nature of state capture over the past years and that some work has been done to improve the situation.

Deals associated with state capture are made by a whole network of persons who not only cooperate on the creation of the scheme, but also protect each other from revelations, sometimes even by using threats. In order to uncover such deals and convict the guilty the establishment of an effective system of witness protection is crucial.

9.5 How much confidence do people have that public officials

neutralize it with their explanations. This may be achieved by focusing attention on the nature of this paradox, and that once the corruption is being battled actively, it will decrease in the future, not increase.⁴⁶

Summary: The opinion that corruption in Latvia is widespread, especially among the senior state officials and politicians, predominates.

Summary: progress during the past 3–5 years

Very Good Good Satisfactory Poor Very Poor

9.1. X

9.2. X

9.3. X

9.4. X

9.5. X

Best Feature: 1. The increase of NGO and selected media influence in rising corruption awareness; 2.

The operation of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB); 3. The new draft of the Party Financing Law and its initial implementation.

Most Serious Problem: The involvement of high-level politicians in corruptive deals; the previous inability of the law enforcement authorities to battle and prevent these activities.

Suggested Improvements: In addition to what has been listed before: 1.Effective control of personal income declarations; 2. To promote the interpretation of the legislation in accordance with its spirit instead of the letter and grammar; 3. The KNAB, NGOs and the media should be encouraged to describe more extensively the actual achievements in the anti-corruption battle, as it is a part of effective prevention. 4. New, quality research is needed: representative surveys, the use of focus groups, analysis of the media and the public discourse.

REFERENCES

1Informatîvais ziòojums “Par Korupcijas novçrðanas un apkaroðanas biroja darbîbu no 2004.gada 1.janvâra lîdz 30.jûnijam”, www.politika.lv. Downloaded on 07.04.2005.

2Ibidem.

3BNS, “Sonèikam uzrâda apsûdzîbu “Dinaz naftas” kriminâllietâ”, 01.06.2004. Following the February 2005 judgment of the Supreme Court that the verdict was justified, A.Sonciks left his position at the ministry.

4For example, Cabinet of Ministers meetings/agendas and minutes, the meeting of March 30, 2004; http://www.mk.gov.lv, downloaded on 04.10.2004.

5Kârtçjâ valsts amatpersonas deklarâcija par 2002. un 2003.gadu, http://www.vid.gov.lv, downloaded on 04.10.2004

6KNAB, Informatîvais ziòojums “Par Korupcijas novçrðanas un apkaroðanas biroja darbîbu no 2004.gada 1.janvâra lîdz 30.jûnijam”. 

7The Criminal Law, Section 318 (1).

8Sedlenieks, Klâvs. “Korupcija bûvatïauju izsniegðanas procesâ”, 2003.gads, www.politika.lv

9Ibid.

10Ozoliòð, Aivars. “Ar korupciju pret UNESCO”, Diena, 16.07.2004.

11Risks of corruption in public procurement in Latvia. Brief overview by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau, KNAB, 10.2004.

12Panorâma, Latvian Television, 13.10.2004.

13“Narkotiku lietâs apsûdzçtajiem netiek bargi sodi”, Diena, 17.04.2002.

14Skujeniece, Vineta. “Tiesu problçma – vienpusîgi un nepamatoti spriedumi”, published on www.politika.lv, 27.06.2003.

15A 2002 Survey by the Latvian Patient Rights Office (Latvijas Pacientu tiesîbu birojs) points out that 54% of the respondents have paid the doctors unofficially.

16For example, in the TV discussion program “Kas notiek Latvijâ?” 22.09.2004.

17Zâlîte, Zane. “Veselîbas ministrija sola vçrsties pret aploksnçm,” Diena, 03.11.2004.

18Judins, Andrejs. “Nosacîts sods nav izsprukðana sveikâ”, published on www.politika.lv , 04.11.2003.

19“Kampaòai – neticamas summas”, Neatkarîgâ Rîta Avîze, 28.09.2004.

20KNAB paziòojums preses konferencç 21.11.2003, http://www.knab.gov.lv

21Informatîvais ziòojums “Par Korupcijas novçrðanas un apkaroðanas biroja darbîbu no 2004.gada 1.janvâra lîdz 30.jûnijam”, www.politika.lv

22KNAB lietvedîbâ esoðâs kriminâllietas 2003. gadâ, www.knab.gov.lv, downloaded on 29.09.2004.

23For example, the President of Latvia Vaira Vîíe – Freiberga, “Valsts pirmâs personas”, LTV, 04.11.2004.

24Koncepcija “Par fizisko personu ienâkumu gûðanas kontroles pilnveidoðanu”, Projekts, KNAB.

25For example, in the 1998 Income Declaration of a Public Official, the Mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs indicates that he has received inheritance from some Vitals Lejins – 125,838 lats, 25,665.86 US dollars and 50,000 German marks. Diena, “Bagâtie vîri no augstâkâs sabiedrîbas”, 04.05.1999.

26Vilks, Alvis. Caurumi ienâkumu kontrolç – kâ nelâpît, bet novçrst? www.politka.lv, 06.10.2004.

27Brauna, Anita. “Iedzîvotâju ienâkumu kontrole Latvijâ”, www.politika.lv, downloaded on 23.03.2005.

28Korupcijas novçrðanas un apkaroðanas valsts programma 2004.-2008.gadam, 19.lpp.

29Austere, Linda. “Intereðu konflikts. Bez politiskâs mçrces, lûdzu!” http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=109451&lang=lv

30Documents of the parliamentary investigations commission headed by 7th Saeima deputy Peteris Salkazanovs were found in possession of the suspect during the search. “Salkazanova jocîgie paziòas”, Diena, 28.08.2002.

31The World Bank, Anticorruption in Transition: A Contribution to the Policy Debate, (Washington, D.C., September 2000); Cheryl Gray, Joel Hellman, and Randi Ryterman, Anticorruption in Transition2: Corruption in Enterprise-State interactions in Europe and Central Asia 1999-2002 (Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2004),www.worldbank.org.)

32See also: Sanita Jemberga, “PB: valsts sagrâbðana Latvijâ vairâku gadu laikâ nav mazinâjusies,” Diena, 16.04.2004.

33Group of States against corruption, Evaluation Report on Latvia, Second Evaluation Round, Strasbourg, 2 July 2004, p.14.)

34BNS, 02.04.2003.

35Kluinis, Arnis. Intervija ar Uldi Dreiblatu “Trîs miljonu atziòa par trim miljoniem latu,” Rîgas Balss, 11.10.2004.

36Avotiòð, Viktors. “Laimîgas beigas?” NRA, 08.10.2004.

37“Tiesiskâs palîdzîbas lûgums Ðveicei”, Diena, 13.01.2004.

38For example, LTV Panorâma “Kempmayer îpaðniekiem pieder ar medijiem saistîtas firmas Latvijâ”, 21.05.2004

39Diena, 23.07.2004.

40LTV, “Valsts pirmâs personas”, 2004. gada 23. septembris.

41An interview by Inta Lase with Aleksey Loskutov, Head of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB), KNAB priekðnieku Alekseju Loskutovu Inta Lase , www.politika.lv (noprecizçt atsauci) and LNT “Nedçïa”, interview with A. Loskutov, 10.10.2004.

42For example, James H. Anderson, Corruption in Latvia: Survey Evidence (Washington D.C.: The World Bank, December 16, 1998).

43Baltijas Sociâlo Zinâtòu institûts, 2004.gada oktobris.

44“Pieredze saskarsmç ar korupcijas problçmâm, Latvijas iedzîvotâju aptauja”, 2005.gada janvâris, SKDS, 7.-8.lpp.

45Group of States against corruption, Evaluation Report on Latvia, Second Evaluation Round, Strasbourg, 2 July 2004, p.12.

46Karklins, R. The System Made Me Do It: Corruption in Postcommunist Societies, ch.3. New York: M.E.Sharpe, 2005.

Part Three

Civil Society and Popular

Participation

Sergejs Kruks and Ilze Ðulmane

Do the media operate in a way that sustains democratic values?

10.1 How independent are the media from government, how pluralistic

In document AUDIT OF DEMOCRACY (Pldal 132-137)