Repse resigns after PM announces probe

  • 2005-12-24
RIGA 's Defense Minister Einars Repse suddenly announced his resignation on Thursday after Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis had informed the press that, upon his request, he had asked the anti-corruption bureau to investigation Repse's numerous real estate deals and investments.

Repse, who heads the right-wing New Era party, said he would also resign his parliamentary seat.

Repse called the prime minister's suspicions a fabrication and unacceptable.

Commenting the defense minister's decision, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga said that Repse could have stayed on board the Cabinet since no charges had yet been brought against him. At the same time she slammed the parliamentary commission set up earlier this year to investigate Repse's investments for dragging its feet and not "coming up with anything substantial."