The responsibility of state and municipal officials is regulated by several legal acts, yet society has developed the impression that, in reality, no one truly monitors this accountability. The only exceptions tend to be high-profile cases that attract significant public attention. Why can officials often get away with decisions that have had negative consequences? BNN asked former Prosecutor General of Latvia Juris Stukāns.
“Our legislation and regulations are well-structured – this has also been confirmed by international experts,” stresses the former Prosecutor General. “However, when it comes to implementation, sometimes answers take years, or they are not provided at all. Those who should apply the law either are not fully capable of doing so, or they lack professionalism and understanding.
Asked whether this means that officials at various levels can rest assured they will not be held accountable for their decisions, Stukāns responds: “There is no fundamental reason to fear that there is no accountability at all. However, there are cases where the public genuinely cannot understand why things are the way they are, and why certain cases are never brought to a conclusion.
This is why it is important to demand that officials are held accountable,
and that services ensure cases are reviewed, evaluated, and pursued effectively.”
In response to BNN’s question about the public’s ability to influence this process, Stukāns says professionalism must be demanded from every official carrying out their duties. “It cannot be said that there is no real accountability. Sometimes society simply wishes to see results faster and more effectively. However, when we talk about the rule of law, the process has a specific procedure that must be followed. Perhaps the question is whether this procedure should be improved, so that it functions within a reasonable timeframe.”
The former Prosecutor General also emphasizes that in all cases where officials’ accountability is at stake, it is essential that it is effective, timely, and transparent. “Every official must understand that decisions carry different forms of responsibility,” Stukāns concludes.
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