Prime Minister suspends large state ICT procurements for a month; companies under European Prosecutor's investigation involved
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has suspended large state information and communication technology (ICT) procurements for 30 days after discovering that companies linked to a European Public Prosecutor's Office investigation into alleged fraud of over 1.5 million euros are involved.
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (United List) has decided to suspend large-scale state information and communication technology (ICT) procurements for 30 days. The decision came after it emerged that these procurements involve companies that are part of a criminal investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's Office for alleged fraud amounting to more than 1.5 million euros.
Kulbergs stated in the program "Viens pret vienu" that such action is necessary to ensure responsible use of public funds and prevent potential violations in state procurements. Currently, authorities are assessing which companies and to what extent are involved, and after 30 days, further steps will be evaluated.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating suspected fraud related to ICT projects. The Prime Minister emphasized that the suspension is a precautionary measure to avoid compromising the investigation and prevent further losses to the state budget. The issue of transparency and management of ICT procurements in Latvia has been a longstanding concern.
