Corruption, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation, Transport

According unofficial information obtained by ''Panorama'', a Riga City Council Transportation Department official demanded the bribes for decisions to be made in favor of the public transportation companies.

The bribes were paid to the Latvian United Members' Trade Union, and were registered as membership fees and support payments for the trade union's cultural and entertainment events.

Approximately LVL 150,000 in bribes were paid from the autumn of 2010 to the end of last year.

Out of the eight public transportation companies offering passenger mini-bus services in the city, it is likely that half of them paid the mentioned bribes. Meanwhile, those companies which refused to pay the bribes were hit with various obscure fines, ''Panorama'' reported.

As reported, according to information obtained by LETA, the head of the Riga City Council Transportation Department chief's bureau Vitalijs Reinbahs has been detained on suspicion of bribe taking.

Reinbahs is also the former head Latvian United Members' Trade Union.

LETA has not been able to get into contact with Reinbahs, as his mobile phone is currently switched off. The Transportation Department told LETA that Reinbahs has been on sick leave since the beginning of the week.

The interim head of the Transportation Department Agris Uplejs told LETA that he currently does not have any information that Reinbahs has been detained, and that he cannot make any comments on this matters.

LETA also reported, Thursday's search of the Riga City Council's Transportation Department by the Corruption Prevention Bureau was connected with passenger transportation in the city.

CPB investigators suspect a Transportation Department official of demanding a bribe, in the form of regular payments to a trade union, in return for a favorable decision on passenger transportation in the city, CPB representative Inta Saboha informed LETA.

There are two suspects in the case. One of them is suspected of demanding a large bribe, the other - of supporting these illegal activities.

According to the Criminal Law's Section 320, Part 2, the applicable punishment for demanding a bribe is deprivation of liberty for up to ten years with or without property confiscation and relinquishing the right to hold certain positions for up to five years.

Saboha confirmed that the CPB carried out a search at the Riga City Council's Transportation Department Thursday. In accordance with the law, the municipality's representatives were present during the search and informed about the reasoning behind it.