LATVIA: Latvians demonstrate against government

People gathered outside the Latvian parliament on Thursday to protest against the government in what is being described as one of the biggest rallies since the restoration of independence. People gathered outside the Latvian parliament on Thursday (October 18) demanding prime minister Aigars Kalvitis and the government step down after deciding to fire the nation's anti-graft boss. Reports on the number of people in the crowd are conflicting, with local media reporting up to five thousand demonstrators, and police saying more than one thousand had gathered. Local media are reporting the protest as being one of the largest rallies since the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991. The demonstration was in response to an appeal by well-known public figures, including Latvian actors, political scientists, writers and journalists on Wednesday (October 17) who said the government had crossed the line when deciding to dismiss head of the anti-corruption bureau (KNAB), Aleksejs Loskutovs. Critics say Kalvitis has meddled in the work of KNAB because its investigations were getting too close to his political allies and due to personal antipathy between the two men. Kalvitis has rejected such accusations and has said KNAB was guilty of financial irregularities The demonstrators were chanting and holding posters reading: "Kalvitis go home!" and "Without independent KNAB we are still occupied". Representatives of the committee investigating KNAB's financial operations, who were coming to participate in the parliament session, were met by loud whistles and shouting. "Enough of fooling the people! I do not appreciate that somebody considers me a fool! This is a real "Animal Farm"! And there are too many pigs bred in this country," demonstrator, Emilija Divanina said. The government's decision to dismiss Loskutovs was grounded on a report prepared by and investigative committee. But Latvian news agency, LETA has reported that the Prosecutor General Office has sent a statement to the government saying it has no right to sack Loskutovs. "The situation is so full-blown, so dangerous, even explosive, that it really cannot continue like this for long," writer and demonstrator, Andra Neiburga said. The demonstration came two days after US Ambassador to Latvia, Catherine Todd Bailey criticised the future of Latvia's democracy due to corruption. In her policy speech Bailey expressed concern that the state could become the playground of individuals lining their own pockets. Her words were a clear reference to several recent controversies, including an attempt by Kalvitis to give the government more power to oversee the security services. This issue caused a stand-off with former president Vaira Vike-Freiberga. Another recent scandal involving allegedly secretly taped phone calls between a leading lawyer and judges, dating from 1998 to 2000, seemed to show corruption among the judiciary and close links between the political and business elite. The ambassador's speech was delivered two weeks before a planned official visit by Kalvitis to the USA. The decision to let Loskutovs go has to be approved by Parliament and can take place during the plenary session next week. Kalvitis was quoted on Thursday as saying he would resign if he failed to get parliament's support. .

ITN Source | October 19, 2007

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