Latvian Culture Minister Halts €249,000 Project Over Audit Violations

Latvian Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis (National Alliance) has ordered an immediate halt to funding for the project “Societal Diversity and Intercultural Communication for Professionals Working with Third-Country Nationals.” The total project budget is €249,000, of which €74,000 has already been spent, and is now under review.

The decision follows an audit by the Finance Ministry that uncovered multiple serious deficiencies. The implementing association, the Latvian Women's NGO Cooperation Network, could not provide clear participant selection criteria, lacked justification for expenses, had untraceable training volumes, and raised suspicions of artificially boosted participant numbers. The Ministry stated that due to these findings, funding is fully cut off (100%).

Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava (National Alliance) had previously terminated memoranda with the same organization and another NGO, “I Want to Help Refugees,” citing hundreds of thousands of euros in questionable spending. Dombrava noted that one of the projects audited by the Finance Ministry showed “gross violations” and will likely require full repayment. He suggested law enforcement may need to investigate whether activities, such as taking participants to the circus, were fictitious. The minister also reminded that the organization has a first-instance conviction, which under EU fund rules disqualifies it from receiving funding.

Launched in July 2024 and running until April 2027, the project was a partnership with the Latvian Association of Local Governments. It aimed to train 250 professionals (border guards, medical staff, educators, etc.) in a 35-hour program to foster understanding of third-country nationals in Latvia and promote their integration. The project was awarded €246,755 through an open competition.