RIGA- The Corruption Prevention Bureau (KNAB) came to the conclusion that
President Valdis Zatlers was within his legal rights to accept gifts from
patients during his tenure as chairman of the board and surgeon at the State
Trauma and OrthopedicHospital.
KNAB launched the investigation on the cash gifts Zatlers received to uncover a
possible conflict of interest.
Over the course of the investigation, KNAB interviewed close to 400 people who
had undergone surgery in the state hospital between 2006 and 2007.
The investigation uncovered that Zatlers, during his role as surgeon had
never asked for money and was thereby not in violation of the law. The
investigation also found that he was given monetary gifts during his role as
surgeon and not as the board's chairman.
The investigation began when Zatlers was first nominated for president in
2006.
