Prosecution receives drunk-driving case against ex-minister Uzulnieks

Latvia's prosecution office has received the criminal case file against former Welfare Minister Reinis Uzulnieks, who was stopped by police in mid-September while driving heavily intoxicated. The prosecution confirmed to the LETA news agency that the case has been received, though it declined to provide further details for now. Under the law, prosecutors must soon decide whether to formally charge Uzulnieks.

If charges are brought, the law allows for several possible outcomes: prosecutors could impose a penalty themselves, reach an agreement with the accused on an admission of guilt and punishment that would then require court approval, or refer the case to a general court hearing.

What happened

On September 12, municipal police in Stopiņi parish stopped a Škoda whose driver turned out to be severely intoxicated, with a breath test showing 3.09 per mille of alcohol. State Police were called to the scene and the vehicle was seized. Following the incident, Uzulnieks left the Latvian Farmers' Union, part of the Union of Greens and Farmers, submitting a request to suspend his party membership.

Tougher rules since 2022

Since amendments took effect in November 2022, Latvia's Criminal Law has made it a criminal offense to drive with an alcohol concentration above 1.5 per mille. The law also provides for vehicle confiscation if the owner was driving while heavily intoxicated or refused testing; if the vehicle belongs to someone else, the guilty party must pay its value. Confiscated vehicles are typically handed over to Ukraine's defenders. The offense carries a penalty of up to one year in prison, probationary supervision, and a five-year ban on driving.