Corruption, Crime, Latvia, Legislation

At the end of May you appealed to the Prosecutor General’s Office with a statement in which you reported that the former Head of the Operations Division of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (CPCB) and now the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Juris Jurass (Juris Jurašs), may possibly have been involved in criminal offenses, including that J. Jurass (Juris Jurašs) used your son Raimonds Stalbergs (Raimonds Štālbergs) in order to fabricate operational and criminal materials.

Uldis Stalbergs: This is not the only statement: many other statements have been filed to other departments. In this particular statement, I provided information that was not available to anyone. I would say that this is not so much about fabrication as about a partnership organized by several characters involved in unlawful acts against Vladimir Vaskevics (Vladimirs Vaškevičs) (Former Head of the Customs’s Criminal Administration of the State Revenue Service (SRS)) - to destroy him, the results of his work and seize the money. As well as to put pressure on businesswoman Inara Vilkaste (Ināra Vilkaste) and for other illegal actions.

It all has started after the launch of a criminal charge against my son in connection with an attempt of extortion from I. Vilkaste (I. Vilkaste). Raimonds came to me, showed me a newspaper’s photo of V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) and said that he needs to suspend him from duty, otherwise Raimonds would be imprisoned. At that time I knew nothing about V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) and J. Jurass (Juris Jurašs). I started to gather information and found out the whole situation with my son: that he is charged with extortion and he needs a lawyer. We agreed that my longtime acquaintance -lawyer Edgars Dimants (Edgars Dimants) will undertake to protect my son. At that time Raimonds was already arrested.

Sometime later E. Dimants (E. Dimants) invited me to his office and let me to listen a recorded conversation in which my son asks for money to hire a lawyer for my son’s accomplice N. Nagibins (N. Nagibins). During this meeting there was also J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) and another person with whom I was not acquainted.

E. Dimants (E. Dimants) after entering the struggle with this entire system quickly realized that he was taking a lot of risks, and to secure himself he handed over to me for storage copies of audio recordings of various conversations. These records prove that there was specially organized partnership against V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs). Unfortunately, E. Dimants (E. Dimants) died under mysterious circumstances this April.

What do you mean “under mysterious circumstances”?

U.S. : I don’t know, as far as I know he just didn’t wake up in the morning. However, he had never complained about his health.  Last time I met him it was about a month before his death. He called me and offered to meet. When I met him, E. Dimants (E. Dimants) told me, that he got into some real trouble and that he had no idea how it would end. He also advised me to be careful. He could not tell me anything more. And later I found out that he was dead.

After listening to the recordings of conversations at my disposal, I realized that purposeful actions were being performed against V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs). Raimonds Stalbergs (Raimonds Štālbergs), who was released from prison in 2007 in order to take revange against Inara Vilkaste (Ināra Vilkaste) and V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) was telling this in recordings, in exchange someone else was responding to this, telling that their interests were intertwined.

From your application to the Prosecutor’s Office, one can understand that this was said by J. Jurass (J. Jurašs)

U.S.: Let’s leave it to the Prosecutor’s Office to decide, they have all records. I’m not going to insist on it now.  The Prosecutor’s Office also has materials about what I have heard from him myself (J. Jurass (J. Jurašs)). In my opinion, all actions that have been reported to the Prosecutor’s Office were not just leveled against V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) but they were aimed at destroying existing system and intercepting power and money in their own hands. I was convinced of this because I handed over to J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) one of the materials at my disposal about possible crimes in order appropriate actions would be taken, but many Law Enforcement Agencies and SRS employees appeared to be involved in that matter. And as a result instead of investigation a son of one of employees, who was responsible for this investigation, got a new BMW car. In other words I can say that I handled the game in order to make sure that J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) could possibly participate in these processes.  You need to understand that this is not one isolated case, it is an organized group. One of the participants of this group is - Road Police’s officer A. Veips (A. Veips) who came to threaten me. In its turn, A. Veips’s (A. Veips) ex-wife, I. Veipa (I. Veipa), was the Head of the CPCB’s department and had an access to the cash funds that were arrested during various criminal cases and I. Veipa (I. Veipa) provided Raimonds Stalbergs (Raimonds Štālbergs) with those funds for the purchase of various real estate. As a result, one day the shortage of this cash was discovered and that case had an enormous resonance at that time. And it is clear that this (unauthorized use of money) was happening with the knowledge and consent of J. Jurass (J. Jurašs). These and many other facts are connected. However going back to the mysterious death of E. Dimants (E. Dimants) – at some point Edgars understood that he was involved and used in processes that are actually aimed at overthrowing state power, and that is why he was seriously afraid for his life during our last meeting.

Someone tried to set your house on fire. Are you considering it as a warning?

U.S.: It was a real threat and it happened some time later after A. Veips (A. Veips) openly threatened me for interfering in some cases, including V. Vaskevics’s (V. Vaškevičs) explosion case and fraud concerning real estate. Even before the arson I was warned about possible criminal actions against me and people related to me. I filed an application to the police but my colleague’s house was burned down the next day. Why? Because she testified against Raimonds Stalbergs (Raimonds Štālbergs) in another criminal case on tax evasion. And this is not singular case of arson.

So basically, you and people related to you, received hints that you need to keep silence?

U.S.: These are not even hints, everything is clear here: if you are not with me – away with you! If you are going to poke your nose into our business – away with you!

From what you have said I concluded that J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) was the one who coordinated activities of that organized criminal group led by R. Stalbergs (R. Štālbergs) for a long period of time and used your son to his advantage.

U.S.: Let’s put it like this: he curated. At first, R. Stalbergs (R. Štālbergs) formed friendly relationship with the officer of the Road Police A. Veips (A. Veips). Then his ex-wife I. Veipa (I. Veipa) appeared and then hot on her heels that gentleman - J. Jurass (J. Jurašs). And when I met J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) at E. Dimants (E. Dimants) place, then I understood who was in charge of all this. All those recordings testify that preparations of a campaign against V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) began when J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) got involved. They were the ones who were supposed to seize the power. In one of recordings you can hear an instruction that R. Stalbergs (R. Štālbergs) should pass any information or document in his disposal to the CPCB regardless the fact that CPCB would send this information to other institutions within jurisdiction. It was done to ensure control. According to J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) words, in such case corresponding document would be considered from another point of view.

What’s your opinion: Does the evidence at your disposal indicate that J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) and R. Stalbergs (R. Štālbergs) coordinated their actions to achieve one common goal - to take revenge on V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs)?

U.S.: In my opinion J. Jurass’s (J. Jurašs) goal wasn’t exactly to revenge but to seize power, and this is exactly what happened. V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs) made it all difficult since he had put into effect a system that wouldn’t allow anyone to pass the frontier uncontrollably, and which prevented any attempt on money laundering. There was a risk determination system that gave an opportunity instantly calculate and stop such transactions. So basically has become a barrier for smuggling, and that’s the reason why the rumor has been spread around that without him (V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs)) nothing would work out, that he is the one who coordinates all illegal activities. But in reality he stood against organized crime activity. That is why they needed R. Stalbergs (R. Štālbergs), who was cleared from all criminal prosecutions in exchange for assistance in bringing false accusation against V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs). And one can hear them talking about this in those audio recordings.

Do you entertain a possibility that the facts you mentioned regarding possible unlawful actions of J. Jurass (J. Jurašs), as well as your application to the Prosecutor’s Office and the audio recordings attached to it, caused the Minister of Justice Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) to offer the Prosecutor General to resign?

U.S.: There are elections in which various parties participate as candidates. Parties need financial backing but nobody would take money from their own pockets and give them away. Nonetheless, someone is financing them and this money should be worked out. It has been like this for many years now. Judge for yourself how it’s happening. As for the fact that Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) got in a Minister's chair and that in the situation that had been developed J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) needed to be saved - naturally, J. Bordans (J. Bordāns) needed to save him. Everything that Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) and J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) have been undertaking is aimed against the others, to dismiss them from office and to get total authority in the country. They run the show in the Ministry of Justice today. They are changing all laws and subjecting them to their interests.

Is it normal that J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) is currently holding the post of Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Justice? Shouldn't J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) and Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) resign in this situation?

U.S.: The answer is clear cut- Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) should resign. Everything that they both have publicly stated and done proves only one thing - the seizure of the country in their own hands. In this case there is no way that Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns) was not aware of J. Jurass’s (J. Jurašs) actions. My opinion is that he (Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns)) took him (J. Jurass (J. Jurašs)) exactly because of this. Because one always needs a good advisor who would be capable of solving any problems from “A to Z”. J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) proved it in practice – by how fast he eliminated V. Vaskevics (V. Vaškevičs).

With these people rising to power the national security of Latvia is under real threat. People who stand behind all this are interested in bringing both the state and its people under their sway. The threat to the state and the nation manifests itself in their every statement today. People today, starting from school, health system and up to government, are perceived as a piece of meat. It seems like a police state is being rebuilt here.

Which actions should be taken to prevent the state capture?

U.S.: I can’t answer and act in place of politicians. I can only express my opinion regarding J. Jurass (J. Jurašs) and the Minister of Justice. He (Janis Bordans (Jānis Bordāns)) must resign because he allowed a situation in which the position of Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Justice is held by a person, who is really involved in crimes and basically is the head for crime. I know a lot about what they have done and what they have agreed on. They remove those who stand in their way.

Do you fear for your life taking into account all circumstances?

U.S.: We all are mortal. I filed the application to the police and Prosecutor’s Office. I stand by my words because I have information about all these actions. I have real facts confirming everything I have said. It is necessary to stop such people as J. Jurass (J. Jurašs).