Riga Regional Court to Resume Hearing in December on Latvia's Non-Participation in Expo 2015
On December 1, the Riga Regional Court will continue the closed-door hearing of a criminal case where Roberts Stafeckis is accused of failing to perform his duties as a state official regarding the Expo Milano 2015 exhibition, causing losses of €376,956.
The Riga Regional Court will resume hearing a criminal case on December 1 at 9:30 AM in a closed session, involving Roberts Stafeckis, who is charged with dereliction of duty as a state official in connection with Latvia's participation in the "Expo Milano 2015" exhibition. The charges are brought under Article 319, Section 3 of the Criminal Law, which carries penalties of up to five years' imprisonment, community service, a fine, and deprivation of the right to hold office for up to five years.
The case was first submitted to court in 2018. In 2021, the Riga City Court acquitted Stafeckis, and the appellate court also upheld his acquittal. However, in 2024, the Supreme Court overturned the appellate verdict and ordered a retrial.
According to the prosecution, Stafeckis, who served as the project manager for "Expo Milano 2015" and worked in the Ministry of Economics, negligently failed to take necessary actions to prevent damage to the state. Specifically, he allegedly did not oversee the use of state budget funds for the artistic and organizational realization of the exhibition, failed to control the execution of services and works, and did not coordinate Latvia's participation. This negligence is said to have caused the state a material loss of €376,956, resulting in serious consequences.
Following the scandal, Stafeckis resigned from his post. The hearing is scheduled for early December 2026.
