Latvian Finance Ministry commences investigation of VID director’s decisions
by BNN
Latvian Finance Ministry has commenced an internal investigation of the decisions made by State Revenue Service (VID) director general Ieva Jaunzeme, as reported by TV3 programme Nekā personīga.
The investigation was initiated after Jaunzeme decided to switch VID official Māris Knoka to a new post as customs police even though he has neither experience as investigator nor knowledge of criminal law. In his new post he will be responsible for investigating six criminal processes, the programme reports.
The conflict between the director general of VID and former lawyer of the Personnel Management Office Māris Knoks started when Jaunzeme rejected commencing disciplinary cases against high-ranking officials whose possible violations were being investigated by Knoks, Nekā personīga reports. «Instead, the lawyer of the personnel management office received a punishment, as he was transferred to the Tax and Customs Police as an investigator of criminal cases against his will. Knoks’ new boss is the person who he had previously requested investigating, but Jaunzeme refused to allow it.»
Finance Minister Jānis Reirs has issued the order to commence an internal investigation to check if VID director general Ieva Jaunzeme intentionally protected high ranking officials from disciplinary action, the programme reports.
«Reirs has put together a committee to evaluate Jaunzeme’s decisions against commencing disciplinary actions when VID service investigation committee recommended doing it. Additionally, the ministry’s committee will check if there were justified reasons for Māris Knoks’ rotation. He has been made an investigator to the Tax and Customs Police against his will. Knoks believes it is score-settling for his work in investigating violations committed by VID officials,» adds the programme.
VID director general Ieva Jaunzeme has also commenced her own investigation. The service does not reveal the reason for the investigation. Nekā personīga is aware, however, the inspection was launched for the interview Māris Knoks gave to Nekā personīga, in which he revealed having been rotated to a post where his boss is the head of Customs Affairs Investigation Office Andris Ābols. Knoks was the one who asked for an investigation of Ābols’ activities, the programme reports.
Nekā personīga also reports that after his rotation to the Tax and Customs Police, Knoks was provided a special service rank of lieutenant. Without any experience investigating crimes and pushing criminal procedures, he has been appointed as senior investigator.
«On the very first day three real criminal processes were put on my table. Now, a week later, I have six criminal processes. And these are the kinds that require fulfilling directions from the prosecutor. I have to evaluate decisions regarding commencement of criminal procedures. Simply put, I’ve been put here as an experienced investigator. The best I can do is look into these cases. I have yet to make a single decision,» says Knoks.
«It is clear the first requirement is having education in law, but there are institutions and organizations that allow passing exams. For example, you cannot work as a prosecutor if you haven’t passed an exam. In other cases there may be other requirements, but the question is that a person has been entrusted with a challenge without checking the person’s qualifications. This is unacceptable. A lawyer covers a very wide definition. People who have education in law work in different sectors. You know, like with doctors: if you are a dentist, go ahead and pick up a scalpel. No, you don’t do that,» says head of Saeima’s Legal Affairs Committee’s Criminal Affairs subcommittee chairman Andrejs Judins.
Meanwhile, State Chancellery’s State Administration Human Resource Mangement office head Ērika Gromule explains: «An institution’s head is responsible for considering rotation of officials, and the institution is the party that decides if an official meets the requirements for the post to which he or she will be rotated. The institution’s head is the one responsible for rotations and the institution is the one who assesses if the chosen official meets requirements of the post. This means the institution takes responsibility for the process.»
Because the decision regarding Knoks’ rotation was made by the director general of VID, she is not only responsible for the legality of the rotation but is also co-responsible if Knoks makes mistakes in his new post because of lack of experience, the programme adds.