Authorities continue arguing over ex-Ventspils mayor’s special status in University of Latvia

The Academic Committee of the University of Latvia has submitted to the Senate the issue of annulling LU honorary member status held by ex-mayor of Ventspils Aivars Lembergs, as confirmed by the chairman of the committee Jāzeps Logins.
The committee unanimously voted in favour of submitting the issue to the Senate for review. The Senate, on the other hand, will decide on annulling Lembergs’ status at an emergency meeting on Monday, 11 April.
Logins explains that at the previous meeting of the Senate there was some confusion with improper legal definitions and references to court proceedings that have yet to reach a conclusion in all instances.
Because of that, some members of the Senate decided to abstain in the vote on annulling Lembergs’ status.
This time the academic committee has prepared a more detailed document to submit to the Senate.
Previously it was reported that a discussion had surfaced at the Senate of the University of Latvia on annulling Lembergs’ status as honorary member of the University of Latvia.
Because the decision was not supported in the Senate, the chairman – Kristaps Jaudzems – decided to ask to be relieved from his duties.
Latvian Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece invites annulling Lembergs’ honorary status for his crimes of corruption.
Lembergs, on the other hand, referenced Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which states that anyone accused of a crime is considered innocent until his or her guilt is proven in accordance to the law.
The court of first instance has already issued a guilty verdict in Lembergs’ criminal case, but he has appealed this ruling.
The court of first instance found Aivars Lembergs guilty in 19 sections of official accusations and not guilty in 21. Lembergs was found guilty of bribery, document forgery, money laundering, forgery of duties, participation in disallowed material transactions, as well as reporting false information in income declarations. He was found not guilty in abuse of official position and breach of restrictions imposed on state official.
After spending about a year in prison, Lembergs was released from under arrest on 25 February 2022 in exchange for EUR 100 000 bail, which, according to prosecutor Juris Juris, is a laughable amount.