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Calovskis launches signature drive to have names of all dishonest Revenue Service officials published

BC, Riga, 20.04.2016.Print version
New signature drive is under way at the Manabalss.lv public initiatives portal, demanding that names of all dishonest employees at the State Revenue Service and other government agencies be made public, informs LETA.

Deniss Calovskis (the hacker from Latvia) is the initiator of the signature drive. He explains that society and taxpayers have every right to know what violations these officials have committed.

 

As reported, Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis has reached agreement with finance, interior, and justice ministers that dishonest Revenue Service officials will be rotated to jobs not associated with the Revenue Service.

 

"No one in Latvia may be above the law – and especially those whose duty it is to enforce the law," says Calovskis.

 

The petition emphasizes that there is no such term as "dishonest" in Latvia's laws, which is why Calovskis urges Saeima members to define clearly, in what cases public officials are given the status of a "dishonest person", and what penalties such a status carries.

 

Taking into consideration that the meaning of accusations of dishonesty is incomprehensible to the general public, officials, and government institutions, Calovskis is asking Saeima to amend the law so that names of all dishonest officials at the Revenue Service and other government institutions be posted on the website of government gazette Latvijas Vestnesis, along with explanations what violations every given official has committed.

 

Calovskis also wants Saeima to ensure that those officials who are considered "dishonest" for committing a criminal offense (taking bribes in particular) should be held responsible according to the law.

 

Publishing the names of dishonest officials will straighten out the government sector and reduce the level of corruption in Latvia, as well as spare honest officials from excessive pressure from their superiors – who may declare an employee dishonest for personal reasons, believes Calovskis. Therefore it will be clear why a given person has been given the status of a dishonest official – for taking bribes, or maybe for coming late for work, dress code violations, or failing to observe restrictions on smoking.






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