When participating in the disclosure of the report “Effectiveness of Investigations and Trials of the Criminal Offences in the Economic and Financial Area” produced by the State Audit Office and the Ministry of Justice on Monday 11 January, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš stressed that the recommendations resulting from the audit will lead to a significant improvement of pre-trial investigations in the field of combating economic and financial crime.
K.Kariņš stressed in his address that the strengthening of the rule of law and justice was set as one of the main priorities of the government when it was formed less than two years ago. “We were well aware that economic and financial crime needs to be given increased attention,” said the Prime Minister. He added that it also resulted in a government’s request to the State Audit Office to carry out the relevant audits, the results of which are presented today.
K.Kariņš noted that a number of important initiatives have been implemented. First, in 2019 an overhaul of the financial sector supervision was carried out aimed at maximum prevention of criminal offences in the financial sector. This has been achieved jointly and a new head of the Financial Capital and Market Commission (FCMC) has also been appointed. Currently, the FCMC and the Bank of Latvia are in the process of merging to create a strong supervisor of the financial sector.
The next initiative proposed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns – to create a court for economic affairs specialised in the adjudication of increasingly difficult economic and financial cases. It has received the support of the Saeima and is currently in the process of reinvigoration.
Third, a major transformation of the Crime Prevention Council was carried out last year with the aim of strengthening all stages in the fight against crime and corruption – investigation, monitoring and adjudication. The Prime Minister noted that it would be significantly improved both by the results of the audit published today and by the new heads at the stages of investigation, monitoring and adjudication. “A new Chief of State Police Armands Ruks, a new Prosecutor General Juris Stukāns, as well as a new Chief of the Supreme Court Aigars Strupišs – people who have new and fresh ideas on how to improve the functioning of the overall system, have been appointed,” said the Prime Minister.
“The government has highlighted the importance of this task from the first day, and the audit that was published today will help to further improve the overall functioning, particularly in the Office of the Prosecutor General, which must work closely with both the investigation and the court to successfully eliminate criminal offences in the economic and financial sector,” stressed the Prime Minister, expressing his gratitude for the audit, which is another step towards strengthening national development.
The report by the State Audit Office “Effectiveness of Investigations and Trials of the Criminal Offences in the Economic and Financial Area” was drawn up in cooperation with experts from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).