Despite fierce debates, the Saeima Legal Affairs Committee decided on June 19 to forward amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law for the first reading.

The politician Aivars Lembergs, who is accused of major crime, has been sharply criticizing the amendments. He is frustrated, as they would allow the prosecutor to claim various documents and add them as additional evidence.

The General Prosecutor’s Office, lawyers and the Ministry of Justice differ on whether to adopt the law amendments. Besides, even judges do not seem to find common ground. So the parliamentary committee is giving the mentioned bodies a month’s time to come up with written opinions on how to improve the bill so that it does not cause so much controversy, reports Latvian Radio.

Five committee members from the ruling coalition voted for forwarding the issue on to the first reading. Three of them were among the developers of the amendments. Greens and Farmers Union member Dana Reizniece-Ozola voted against, while all three Harmony Center representatives abstained.

The coalition gained the majority only an hour after the start of the meeting, as Unity Chairwoman Solvita Aboltina had been caught up in some meeting.

There is a reason why Lembergs is frustrated over the amendments. As reported, within the framework of the so-called Lembergs’ criminal proceedings the Riga Regional Court has so far held 224 hearings. 45 Court hearings took place in 2009, 54 – in 2010 and 82 – in 2011. This year, Lembergs’ case participants have already met in the courtroom 43 times.

140 volumes bring together two criminal procedures, which the prosecutor handed to the Court in the second half of 2008.

The General Prosecutor’s Office accuses Lembergs of accepting huge bribes, money laundering, counterfeiting of service and participation in property transactions, which was against the law due to his post, as well as abuse of power and other crimes. His son, Anrijs Lembergs, is being accused along with him.

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