Notes

Aivars Lembergs, a Latvian Oligarch is currently in jail for five years for financial crimes.
Following 12 years of tense courtroom wrangling, a Latvian Court has handed down its decision on Aivars LEMBERS' highly-publicized trial. The defendant is one of Latvia's richest men as well as a prominent political figure in the populist camp. Aivars Lembergs He was also the mayor of Venspils in northwestern Latvia.

Lembergs was sentenced 22nd February by the Riga Regional Court. He was found guilty of a variety of charges that included money laundering as well as bribery.

Lembergs is the head of For Latvia & Ventspils party. He has compared his sentence with that of Aleksey Navalny, Russian opposition activist.

Lembergs pleaded for an immediate break as the judge was reading his verdict. Lembergs could have a brief conversation first with his son Anrijs. He then used the rest to comment on journalists.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs stated to journalists that he will appeal against the decision of Riga Regional Court. Aivars Lembergs He added that the hearing of his appeal could last at least ten years. Lembergs has also decided to appeal his detention, even though the appeal will be heard by the same court.

After having read the judgment, Lembergs were taken into custody. Aivars Lembergs This involved the reading of an enormously long list of properties and asset lists as well as holdings offshore organizations in different jurisdictions that the court said it would confiscate.

Aivars Lembergs His codefendants, Anrijs and Ansis Lembergs, were found guilty on several linked charges. They were both sentenced to two year sentences.

Aivars Lembergs Lembergs was cuffed and taken to Riga City Centre Court on 14 March 2007. This was the start of the prosecutor's efforts to bring him up to date on charges of bribery and money laundering. An investigation into allegations of corruption in Ventpils had begun in 2005. More than 14 years later, a verdict is handed down.

The matter has been going through Latvian courts at a alarmingly slow pace for well over 10 years. Over the 12 year period, 770 court appearances were scheduled in connection with the main criminal proceeding. A total of 1,483 court appearances were held since August 20, 2009. It was on this date when the Riga Regional Court reopened adjudication of the case. The hearings will continue until February 11, 2021.

Despite being on trial on allegations of bribery and money laundering on an extensive scale, Lembergs has continued to be a powerful leader in the political arena, and in the city of Ventspils in the city of Ventspils, where he served as the mayor for two decades and as a prominent influence in the Greens and Farmers Alliance political group he supports.

Even though his term as mayor was suspended because of financial violations but he was still the real mayor of the city. He rejected a minister's attempt to stop him from acting as Ventspils mayor. He attended government meetings together with International Monetary Fund while indicted and assisted in the selection of the candidates to run for Latvian presidency.

In relation to Latvia's forthcoming municipal elections Lembergs said that the decision on participation in the elections will be made by his local party For Latvia and Ventspils, however, his potential participation in the elections currently not his main priority.
Homepage: https://www.ntz.lv/dazadi/ko-turpmak-nedrikstes-aivars-lembergs/