Anti-corruption bureau launches probe into PM Kulbergs' Kurzeme visit

Latvia's Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has launched a departmental review into whether activities carried out last Friday by representatives of the Apvienotais saraksts (AS) party alliance, including Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs, complied with the Pre-election Campaigning Law. The bureau confirmed this to the LETA news agency.

As part of the review, KNAB will also assess whether state or municipal administrative resources were used during the trip. According to the prime minister's schedule previously released by the State Chancellery, Kulbergs travelled to Kurzeme on a regional visit last Friday. Separately, AS said in a social media statement that its Kurzeme team toured South Kurzeme and Liepāja, visiting businesses, farms and municipalities in Durbe, Grobiņa, Liepāja and Nīca.

Accompanying Kulbergs on the trip were several other AS representatives, including Finance Minister Māris Kučinskis, Justice Minister Edvards Smiltēns, Latgale list leader Juris Viļums, chairman of the Saeima's Defence Committee Raimonds Bergmanis, and board member Jānis Vilnītis. Photos released alongside the statement showed delegation members posing on a combine harvester, with AS-branded buses featuring politicians' images parked in a harvested field.

30 reports received so far

KNAB said that since the start of the campaign period through August 10, it has received 30 reports of possible violations of the campaigning law, three of which concern possible misuse of administrative resources. The bureau said it continues to evaluate the information received.

The official pre-election campaigning period ahead of the 15th Saeima elections began on June 6 and runs until election day. During this period, campaigners must comply with a range of restrictions, including bans on using state and municipal administrative resources and on conducting hidden campaigning, as well as requirements to disclose the use of artificial intelligence in campaign materials. Violations can lead to a warning or a fine of up to 500 euros for individuals, and up to 7,100 euros for legal entities, including political organizations.