Jantone confirmed that the JV has received a letter from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) in connection with the violation of the restrictions set by the law on financing political organizations, and the party association has provided an explanation.
According to Yantone, this is related to the payment of salary from the state budget to an employee who was also a state official. As a result of the internal audit, it has been established that the JV has made a mistake and made an erroneous use of the state budget funding.
“Upon ascertaining this fact, the payment of the employee’s salary from the state budget funding was immediately stopped, covering it from donations and member’s money,” said the general secretary, emphasizing that it is important that the party office works in accordance with the laws established in the country.
According to unofficial information of “” newspaper, the mentioned employee is Sanita Stelpe-Segliņa, the former deputy general secretary of the party, who has received a salary from both the party and the Central Election Commission at the same time for more than a year.
KNAB confirmed to LETA agency that the office is currently checking the 2023 reports of JV and other political organizations, including evaluating whether the state budget funding paid to political parties and their associations last year has been used in accordance with the requirements of the Political Organizations (Parties) Financing Law.
KNAB must inform the public about the results of inspections of political organizations’ annual reports at the same time, that is, when all inspections have been completed, but no later than by April 2025. For this reason, KNAB can neither confirm nor deny whether a violation has been detected in the activity of a political organization, which would give grounds for suspending or stopping the payment of state budget funding to the political organization.
If the audits of the annual reports confirm that one of the political organizations has a reason to suspend or stop the payment of state budget funding, KNAB will inform the public about this fact before January 15, 2025, when according to the regulatory framework, the current state budget funding payment must be made.
In addition, KNAB informed that the office did not send a warning to the JV about the suspension or termination of the state budget financing.
At the beginning of August, KNAB sent an information request to JV during the inspection of the annual report and has received a response to it.
KNAB cannot comment further on this request for information, as it has a limited availability status.
added KNAB comment 6-11 in a paragraph
2024-08-19 21:48:30