Corruption, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Latvia, Legislation

The criminal case investigated by the prosecutor's office investigates bribery charges against former Latvenergo executives and high-ranking representatives from several Latvian, Swedish, Spanish and Turkish companies. Seven persons have been charged in the case so far.

Prosecutor Viorika Jirgena previously concluded that, due to the large number of counts, investigation would take very long, which is why the charges against Gama were separated from the criminal case into a new criminal case on trading with influence during the procurement for reconstruction of the Riga 2nd Cogeneration Plant.

According to the charges brought, Özgür Umut Eroğlu offered to the citizen of the Republic of Latvia  Consultant L, against whom a criminal procedure is pending within the scope of the principal case, to pay a remuneration for the contract concluded between a/s Latvenergo and the company Gama, so that he, by exercising its professional and social status, would influence the activities of the officials of a/s Latvenergo within the scope of the procurement for the reconstruction of the second stage of TEC-2 announced on 3 April 2008.

Eroglu and Gama cooperated with the investigators.

In June 2012, Latvenergo contract with Gama was amended by reducing the contract amount by 3.4%.

For these reasons, Prosecutor Jirgena decided to close the criminal case and impose the said fines on Eroglu and Gama. Both fines have already been paid.

Investigation in the Latvenergo bribery criminal case and other related cases continues yet, therefore no further information about these cases can be released yet.