Between 6 January and 18 April a total of four deputies of the 13th Saeima were punished for various administrative violations, according to the parliament’s press-service.
The Saeima submitted the report on all this to the Mandates, Ethics and Submissions Committee on Thursday, 2 June.
According to data from the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior, Aldis Gobzems was punished nine times for breaching rules on organization and conduct of meetings, processions and pickets and seven times – for breach of restrictions imposed for a state of emergency.
The deputy also landed administrative liability for not wearing protective face masks in cases covered by regulations, as well as violating rules on stay within protection zones around objects under state protection.
In all of those cases Gobzems was presented with a fine as penalty.
On Thursday, 2 June, Gobzems was also presented with a written warning for breaching the Saeima Deputy’s Code of Ethics.
The committee made this decision after studying a request from deputy Rihards Kols, in which he asked the committee to review A.Gobzems’ statements made during 28 April debates in the Saeima, during which the parliament was reviewing amendments to the Law on Sports and Energy Law.
The Mandates Committee found that with his statements spoken that day Gobzems had breached sections 7, 16 and 19 the Saeima Deputy’s Code of Ethics.
Those sections dictate that in his or her public statements a Saeima deputy is to avoid using words, gestures and other actions that may be found offensive, as well as avoid insulting statements, and generally base their statements on facts, their honest interpretation and arguments.
The code of ethics dictates that Saeima deputies are to be polite towards employees of the Saeima and other state and municipal institutions, as well as other members of society, as well as avoid self-imposed appearances on the tribune of the Saeima.
Saeima deputy Juris Pūce was also made to answer for administrative violations. He also received a fine for violating road traffic rules.
Saeima deputy Ēriks Pucens received a warning for driving a car without a driver’s license and for using a phone, tablet PC or other smart devices while the vehicle is in motion.
Saeima deputy Andris Skride was punished for driving a vehicle that had not undergone technical evaluation within a certain period of time.