The criminal case against former Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks, who was caught driving under the influence of alcohol, has been referred to the prosecutor’s office for criminal prosecution, LETA has learned.
The prosecutor’s office confirmed to LETA that it had received the case but declined to provide further comment at this stage.
Under Latvian law, prosecutors are expected to decide in the near future whether to bring charges. If charges are brought, there are three possible outcomes in cases of this type: the prosecutor’s office may impose a penalty itself; prosecutors may reach an agreement with the accused on an admission of guilt and punishment and ask a court to approve it; or the case may be sent to court for trial under the standard procedure.
Amendments to the Criminal Law that entered into force in November 2022 introduced criminal liability for driving or teaching someone to drive a vehicle if an alcohol concentration exceeding 1.5‰ is detected in a breath or blood test.
A vehicle is also confiscated if its owner was driving while heavily intoxicated or refused to undergo a test
for the presence of intoxicating substances. If the vehicle driven under the influence belongs to another person, the offender may be ordered to pay the full or partial value of the vehicle. Latvia usually donates such confiscated vehicles to Ukraine’s defenders.
The Criminal Law provides for up to one year of imprisonment, probation supervision and a five-year driving ban for such an offence.
As previously reported by LETA, Uzulnieks was caught driving with an alcohol level of 3.09‰ on the 12th of September.
Municipal police stopped the driver of a Škoda in Stopiņi parish after he was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol. The State Police were called to the scene.
The vehicle has been seized.
Uzulnieks is no longer a member of the Latvian Farmers’ Union (LZS), which is part of the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS). The party received a statement from Uzulnieks informing it that he was suspending his membership.
Read also: Latvian prime minister comments on Uzulnieks’ detention and future of Welfare Ministry