RIGA - The State Auditor's Office announced on Feb. 21 that the head of the Central Election Commis-sion, Arnis Cimdars, treated himself to more than 26,000 lats (37,000 euros) in bonuses over several years. Inguna Sudraba, a state auditor, said that the office inspected the election commission's financial report for 2005 and found that Cimdars had signed orders on bonuses to the commission's employees, including himself.
Cimdars illegally paid a total 26,189 lats to himself in bonuses between 2002 and 2005, including 15,497 lats which were paid in violation of a law on conflict of interests, Sudraba said. In 2005 his bonuses amounted to 32 percent of his annual salary.
Sudraba said that the anti-corruption bureau (KNAB) is investigating Cimdars' generosity. The State Auditor's Office audited the 2005 financial report only, but KNAB will investigate previous years' reports.
The auditor said that Cimdars breached the law on the conflict of interests and that the election commission chairman's bonuses should have been granted by a higher-ranking official. As the commission has no such higher institution, Cimdars does not have the right to obtain bonuses, Sudraba said.
"No matter how much he wanted, he is not entitled to bonuses," said Sudraba.
She said that the investigation process might be lengthy as Cimdars might submit a protest claim and KNAB may find other violations.
Cimdars said that he was informed about the investigation and the repercussions had been dealt with by the beginning of 2006.
He also said that the Central Election Commission regulations have been amended, and now there is a special commission to decide on bonuses. Now his deputy has the right to make the decisions on bonuses for the CVK head, Cimdars said.
The State Auditor's Office and KNAB have been informed about these changes and voiced no objections, Cimdars said.
He complained that Latvia has no higher-ranking institution that could decide on bonuses for the commission chairman. He said he has spoken to politicians about this, but no solution was found.
Andris Vitenburgs, a spokes-man for KNAB, said the probe was ongoing, and he declined to forecast on the date of its comp-letion.