«In the current situation with MP Juris Jurašs, we can see indications that point to a political witch-hunt against him and the New Conservative Party that is motivated by economic crimes. It shows that oligarchs are eager to show that they are still hold the power in their hands,» said Latvian Justice Minister Jānis Bordāns about his fellow party member being subjected to persecution over revealing graft investigation information.

«Jurašs leaving Saeima would not be loss to party, but blow to rule of law»

The situation with subjecting Jurašs, an MP of the New Conservative Party and the Parliamentary Secretary of the Justice Ministry, to persecution has been already discussed during the previous government. The case was opened, closed and reopened again. The decision of the timing, when to push him to persecution, has been made in «the hallways of the old government», Bordāns believes.

According to the Justice Minister, also the leader of the New Conservative Party, a battle over «not losing the actual power» is currently taking place in Latvia. «It is as if a jump from the past to the present time. Just as on November 18, 1918, the German and Russian troops kept standing, although we had already declared a country, it is the same thing with the new government – we can declare that it exists, but several old decisions still remain.»

Bordāns stresses that the loss of Jurašs as an MP would not be a blow to the New Conservative Party, but to the rule of law in Latvia that would reflect amount of power still held by oligarchs.

«Old guys» annoyed by use of new methods

Commenting on the criticism from the Latvian President and several political parties over the decision by Bordāns to send out to foreign embassies a statement about the situation with Jurašs, the Justice Minister asserts: «I think I was mostly criticised because this letter reached the hands of important people and someone didn’t like it at all».

«It is still common in Latvia to hide the ugly things under the carpet and think that everything will be alright», says Bordāns.

He stresses that the party did not try to hide this step, but it had right from the start that it would raise the Jurašs case at an international level: «It was the first step we took, to inform embassies. We informed embassies that we continue to clean this country from the power of oligarchs, but they are still very powerful – that is what we said».

Political witch-hunt?

The Latvian Justice Minister also believes that the fast that the investigation against Jurašs could have been conducted much earlier, before he became a Saeima MP, is an indication that «a political witch-hunt» is taking place.

«It was Jurašs himself, who asked for almost a year for the case to be reviewed and either be closed or sent for persecution. For a year, he attempted to achieve that several questionings are be held. This did not happen, but this issue was held up until this point.

Despite being shocked by the state of rule of law in Latvia in respect to the Jurašs case, Bordāns stressed that he as the Minister of Justice would not intervene in the investigation of the process, so that nobody could blame him for using his position for dishonest goals.