Latvian president: possible payment of envelope wages in Unity requires careful investigating

The possible payment of envelope wages in the office of Unity political party needs to be carefully and independently investigated, Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He believes the payment of envelope wages is a very serious accusation, which needs to be carefully and independently investigated. “The investigation has commenced. I hope for a quick and clear result,” the president stressed.
Information regarding the possible payment of envelope wages in the office of Unity political party is currently being investigated by the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB), as LETA was told by the State Revenue Service (VID).
Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, commenting on the claims about corruption inside the party,

said after a coalition meeting that this was a loud and potentially politically motivated attack on Unity’s reputation.

TV3 programme Nekā personīga reported that former Unity office worker Normunds Orleāns turned to law enforcement institutions, claiming that the political party was paying him and other office workers so-called envelope wages for a period of time.
Lībiņa-Egnere stressed that Unity has never paid envelope wages, and this is proven by the recent internal investigation. The party has also requested an external inspection as well, said the politician.
Unity’s Board has decided to turn to law enforcement institutions against Orleāns.
“I believe such claims and their appearance in the public space are intended to hurt the reputation of the political party, and we will act to battle this,” said Lībiņa-Egnere.
Members of the Saeima faction of the Combined List political association, meanwhile, are requesting dismissal of the Minister of Finance, Unity chairman Arvils Ašeradens.
Union of Greens and Farmers politician, Minister of Economy Viktors Valainis says that this is a political step from the Combined List, but it is “strongly out of place”, because the reported information is under investigation from law enforcement institutions.
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