Report about violations!

If you report, you have rights to remain anonymous. But you should also remember that anonymity can be an obstacle for the successful investigation of the case:

1. Criminal procedure law stipulates that, criminal procedure cannot be launched according to anonymous information or information whose provider refuses to discover information source. It does not mean that your information is useless. However, authority will have to find OTHER proofs, in order to launch criminal procedure and sometimes your testimony can be the only proof.
2. If an authority will not be able to amass sufficient evidence, excluding your anonymous testimonies, offenders may go unpunished.
3. If authority will not be able to contact you in time, in order to verify details which are important for the investigation and proving, it may endanger the whole investigation process.
4. Investigation may be endangered if you have provided information for several law enforcement institutions and/or media which are not informed about this fact and they act simultaneously, thus bothering each other.

In fight against the corruption authority competences are not strictly separated. It is a delusion that KNAB (Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau) is the only institution in Latvia which fights against the corruption. Some corruption cases are investigated by KNAB, some by the Security Police but others by the State Police. There are also cases when investigation is performed by separate security office inner services.

Make a report if you are aware of a contraband, tax evasion, illegal wages or illegal activities of the State Revue Service officials.

Special mobile application called “Suspicious deals“. has been developed, in order to involve Latvian residents in fight against the black economy, develop civic consciousness, improve communication between the residents and State Revenue Service and help it in identifying dishonest business owners. This application provides an opportunity to inform State Revenue Service by taking photos of suspicious trader supporting documents or cash register receipts. All receipts which contain suspicious deals will be checked.

Police investigates every criminal offence, only if such offences are not investigated by specific law enforcement institutions. Even if criminal offence is investigated by KNAB or Military Police Corps, prosecutor general still has rights to entrust investigation to police. State Police Department of Combating Economical Crimes investigates cases of corrupt practices in private sector e.g. commercial fraud.

Officials of Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau investigate criminal offences related to violation of financing rules of political organisations (parties) and their associations, as well as criminal offences in public authorities if these crimes are related to corruption.

KNAB will most probably investigate violation cases of following criminal law paragraphs:

• Exceeding limits of authority;
• Abuse of authority;
• Irresponsibility of a state official;
• Bribetaking;
• Taking possession of a bribe;
• Brokerage in bribery;
• Bribery;
• Violation of abridgments applicable to state officials;
• Illegal participation in business undertakings;
• Trading in influence;
• Unlawful offering, providing, demanding and acceptance of goods;
• Office counterfeit;
• False official memorandum;
• Exposure of the private information;
• Exposure of the private information after leaving the office.

Authorised Security Police officers investigate criminal offences which have harmed security of the state and national security authorities, as well as other criminal offences according to their competence and cases when investigation has been entrusted by the prosecutor general.

If corruption is related to the national security, this case most probably will be investigated by the Security Police. Prosecutor general can also entrust Security Police to investigate any other corruption affairs e.g. crimes in KNAB, if prosecutor general considers that Security Police will investigate the case professionally.

Authorities of the Ministry of Finance investigate criminal offends in the field of state revenues and actions of the State Revenue Service officials and employees. If criminal offend has been committed by the State Revenue Service official, this case most probably will be investigated by the Police of the Finance.

Internal Security Service of the National Border Guard investigates crimes which are related to illegal border crossing, illegal trafficking over the states border or unlawful residence in the country, as well as criminal offences committed by the Border Guard authorities. It is the first institution you should contact if you face corruption in the Border Guard.

Military Police Corps investigate crimes which are committed in military services, military units or at dislocation places. It investigates crimes committed by soldiers, civil guards and military civil servants during the time of their service.

Report about possible violations in field of food production!

You can choose one of the following informing means:

• Food and Veterinary Service hotline 67027402;
• By the e-mail;
• Make a phone call to any of Food and Veterinary Service offices.

In case of possible fraudulent activities committed by the authorities of Food and Veterinary Service, make a report using FVS web page./a>

Your information provided by FVS is useful. Hotline receives about 1500 complains each year. All complains, including anonymous ones are registered and checked.

Mains tasks of the OLAF are:

• To protect EU’s financial interests, investigation of frauds, corruptive practices and other illegal activities;
• Disclosure and investigation of serious disciplinary offences committed by the EU and its structures officials and involve either disciplinary or criminal responsibility;
• To help European Commission in development and implementation of fraud prevention and disclosure policy.

If you suspect or recognize fraud in governing of the EU funds, let it know. You can contact OLAF in any of 24 EU official languages.

Did you suffer of corruption or witnessed it?

For many years “Delna” works with whistle-blowers and protects them. “Delna” receives tens of reports every year. “Delna” listens to whistle-blowers, carefully examines received information and provides support, at the same time sticking to confidentiality principle.

Consultations, occasional publicity and further investigation of the cases are provided by their team or by the independent lawyers. “Delna” guarantees anonymity of whistle-blowers.

Reviews applications regarding procurement or concession procedures and other types of public procurement.
The Procurement Supervision Bureau does not disclose to third parties any information on the identity of the person who has reported of potential infringements, unless that person has agreed to such a disclosure, or if his or her application has been simultaneously addressed, e.g. to the contracting authority when reporting on the actions of its officials or employees.