Corruption, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Shadow economy

The largest bribe investigated by the Corruption Prevention Bureau in 2013-2019 was EUR 1 million, and the smallest bribe was EUR 100.

The amounts of bribes depend on how complicated the "service" sought is. The more complex a case where higher-level officials are involved or risks are higher, the larger the bribe. Conversely, the "simpler" the service, the smaller the bribe.

According to the Corruption Prevention Bureau, corruption is more likely in Riga, taking into consideration that Riga is the largest city in Latvia and is home to the key public administration institutions, authorities and courts, leading healthcare and educational institutions, and many political parties' headquarters.

Other Latvian cities and regional centers are also more exposed to corruption risks as compared to towns and smaller regions, the Corruption Prevention Bureau points out.

So far this year, the Corruption Prevention Bureau has launched thirty criminal cases and forwarded eleven cases to the prosecutor's office.