Latvia Anticorruption Agency, called KNAB, raided Central Bank governor Ilmars Rimsevics’s office and property on February 16 and aired footage that appeared to show him arriving at the agency’s offices.
On Monday, the extraordinary cabinet meeting would be convened to “analyze the situation” with the detaining of Central Bank governor Ilmars Rimsevics. According to the Latvian prime minister Maris Kucinskis, his office made the announcement in a statement on February 18 following reports saying that the office and a property of Rimsevics were searched.
The KNAB, the Bank of Latvia, and the European Central Bank declined to comment on detention. PM’s office did not provide details about the case, but stressed that “there are no signs of a threat to the Latvian financial system” and the anti-corruption forces work ‘professionally and accurately’.
Maris Kucinskis pledged the government’s full support while The Bank of Latvia said it could not comment on the investigation. Latvia as a member of the European Union has a zero-tolerance policy in respect of corruption and other illicit activities.
In his capacity as the governor of Latvia’s central bank, Mr Rimsevic is also a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council.
