Latvia, Legislation, Railways, Transport

Aiga Eiduka, the press secretary of the prosecutor's office, told LETA that these persons were charged with misuse of authority, causing harm to state power or the establishment, as stipulated in Article 318 of the Criminal Law. According to the law, the maximum applicable jail sentence is up to eight years.

"Because the case is still being investigated, no further comment will be provided," Eiduka said.

As reported, the State Police previously requested the prosecutor's office to launch a criminal case against four former board members of Pasazieru vilciens in connection with the failed passenger train procurement. A spokesman for the police, Toms Sadovskis, refrained from revealing the suspect names, however, according to previous reports by LETA, the persons in question are former Pasazieru vilciens CEO Nils Freivalds, and former board members Edmunds Kancevics, Janis Petersons, and Martins Jirgens.

According to expert estimates, the said persons have caused damage to the state in the amount of EUR 1,484,944.

As reported, the Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case in March 2013, after the Transport Ministry asked the prosecutor's office to probe the failed procurement of new passenger trains for Pasazieru vilciens. Following the probe, the prosecutor's office concluded that the actions by Pasazieru vilciens board, in concluding the new train procurement and maintenance contract with the Spanish company Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles in April 2012, had violated the Criminal Law. The case was then handed over to the police.

Four persons were given the status of suspects pursuant to Section 318 of the Criminal Law. This particular section of the Criminal Law deals with misuse of power, the maximum applicable jail sentence is up to eight years.