After TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported information about concerns that the ex-Minister of the Interior Sandis Ģirģens may have pocketed the telephone previously provided to him for official business a notable amount of discord was caused among the heads of the political party Republika.
According to co-chairman of Republika Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis, to remove the shadow of doubt, it would be best for Sandis Ģirģens to step down as co-chairman for the time being.
Voicing his personal opinion and based on publicly reported information, Dombrovskis said the situation «is a very hard hit on the new party’s reputation, which was formed based on high standards for behaviour».
«I believe in this situation Sandis Ģirģens should do two things. First, if the phone was returned to the Ministry of the Interior when he stepped down as minister, he should compensate the state the price of that phone. Secondly, until the trial concludes with a verdict that lifts the shadow of doubt, he should step down as co-chairman of Republika political party,» said the politician, stressing that it is necessary to preserve members’ and supporters’ trust and protect the party’s reputation.
Republika board members Ēriks Pucens and Kaspars Ģirģens, on the other hand, voice support to the founder and co-chairman Sandis Ģirģens, Pucens confirms.
All three of them were previously members of KPV LV.
«In our country only a court of law can decide who is and who isn’t guilty. With Sandis Ģirģens – there are no charges presented. Knowing how many rotations and changes there were in the interior system during his term, seeing this discriminatory story reported in public space was only expected,» adds Pucens.
The politician notes that for Republika as a party «that fights against the system will receive more and more such punches». Pucens stresses that Sandis Ģirģens cannot afford to step down from co-chairman post, because that would be an incorrect signal for society, «which believes […] that he will successfully battle corruption». «As for Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis, we expect teamwork from him. It should be the decision of the entire board, because a party is not a one-man orchestra,» says Pucens, commenting on Dombrovskis’ opinion.
This week Sandis Ģirģens will meet with members of Republika to discuss the situation with Vjačeslavs Dombrovskis’ proposal. A vote of trust is planned for Ģirģens’ remainder as the party’s co-chariman.
As reported by TV3 programme Nekā personīga, after stepping down as minister in June 2021, Sandis Ģirģens was supposed to hand over certain items, including a phone purchased using state budget funds for official business – an Apple iPhone XR worth nearly EUR 1 000. Ģirģens, however, wanted to keep the phone. The Ministry of the Interior Information Centre, which is the legal owner of the phone, has no way to let employees keep state-issued devices for personal use.
Following the minister’s request, the chief of the centre tried to resolve the issue to make it seem on paper that the phone was destroyed.
Employees of the information centre testified in court that the now former chief of the centre Līga Lapiņa had ordered them to make sure the phone would remain in the ex-minister’s ownership. They obeyed because they were afraid to object. The information centre decided to write off the iPhone as damaged. To settle this affair, at least four centre employees had to get involved. The firm that provided the phone wrote a report that the phone was damaged beyond repair.
The phone was not added to evidence presented in court because it is missing.
When investigators asked Sandis Ģirģens to return the device, he said it fell out of his pocked when he was driving his motorcycle.
Ģirģens claims the criminal procedure was fabricated get revenge on him and honest officials for putting an end to the unfair procurement tradition at the information centre.
Telephone scandal involving Latvian ex-minister causes discord within Republika party
