PM Kulbergs sacks Welfare Minister Uzulnieks over alleged drunk driving

Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs announced on the social media platform X that he had dismissed Reinis Uzulnieks from the post of welfare minister following reports of alleged drunk driving. Kulbergs called the incident total irresponsibility and a threat to society. Uldis Augulis, a fellow member of the Union of Greens and Farmers, has been appointed to carry out the minister's duties for the remainder of the current government's term.

What happened

State Police confirmed that on Saturday, September 12, municipal police in Stopiņi parish, Ropaži municipality, stopped the driver of a Škoda vehicle. A breath test showed a blood alcohol concentration of 3.09 per mille. A criminal case has been opened over the incident. According to his official asset declaration, Uzulnieks owns a 2022 Škoda Kodiaq.

Party response

The board of the Union of Greens and Farmers held an emergency meeting and unanimously decided to remove Uzulnieks from the minister's post and expel him from the party. Viktors Valainis, chairman of the Latvian Farmers' Union, part of the alliance, said the decision was unanimous because the political force has zero tolerance for such incidents. He added that Uzulnieks remains free to run in future elections, something the party cannot prevent.

Legal context

Under amendments to the Criminal Law that took effect in November 2022, driving with a breath or blood alcohol concentration above 1.5 per mille is a criminal offense, punishable by up to one year of imprisonment, probationary supervision, and a five-year ban on driving.