Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has requested criminal prosecution of one Igors Trubko for alleged bribery attempt of Riga City Council’s Par!/Progresīvie faction leader Mārtiņš Kossovičs, according to information from LETA.
Board chairman of AS Rīgas Namu apsaimniekotājs Trubko denies having anything to do with this case. He claims he knows nothing of this case, adding that it should be clear from his income declaration that he does not have millions of euros to throw around on bribes. He also stresses the laws in Latvia do not allow the transfer of municipal property in concession.
According to information from Firmas.lv, Trubko has been chairman of the board of AS Rīgas Namu apsaimniekotājs since spring 2018. He is also listed as the true beneficiary of the business. Last year the company had turnover of EUR 2 613 229 and profits of EUR 244 124 (EUR 2 340 139 and EUR 57 725 in 2019 respectively).
According to information from KNAB website, between 2002 and 2013 Trubko was providing support to two political parties, donating to them a total of EUR 49 904. He donated money to the Reform Party (Valdis Zatlers’ political party) and Latvian Social Democratic Workers’ Party, who was once in charge in Riga City Council.
Now the office of the prosecutor needs to decide whether or not to present Trubko with official charges.
The bureau reports that on 13 December KNAB asked the Prosecution Office for Investigation of Public Office Holders Misconduct Offences to commence criminal prosecution of a private person for a possible bribery attempt of a state official.
KNAB also asked the office of the prosecutor to continue process of imposing coercive measures against a legal person in the interest of which the bribe attempt was committed.
Evidence acquired by KNAB in the pre-trial investigation points that a private person, as a board chairman of a joint stock company, offered a EUR 2.1 million bribe to a deputy of Riga City Council, so that the private person’s represented company would win in a concession contest and take over management of a building from another building management company.
KNAB also found during the investigation that the private person told the official about making conditions of the procurement beneficial towards the private person’s represented company.
Riga City Council’s Par!/Progresīvie faction leader Mārtiņš Kossovičs mentioned in his statement to the press that he has been offered a bribe and that he has informed KNAB of it. When asked if it was the head of Rīgas Namu apsaimniekotājs who was the one who offered the bribe, Kossovičs invited respecting the request he submitted to KNAB and the Office of the Prosecutor General. He also suggested directing all question to law enforcement institutions, as they have all the details.
He also said he has built has dedicated his political career to create a political environment and policy that cannot be bought, stressing that he intents to stick to this principle.
Name of businessman who may have offered Riga City Council a bribe leaked
