Latvia's legal system tangled in turmoil

RIGA - For a legal system that careened from crisis to crisis in
1999, the resignation of one of its key players started the new year
on a terrible note.

Prosecutor General Janis Skras-tins, credited as one of the founders
of the prosecutor's office after 1991 independence, handed his
resignation to the Supreme Court and Parliament on Jan. 3.

His resignation was followed immediately by the resignation of Chief
Criminal Prosecutor Olgerts Sabanska, who worked with Skrastins for
several years.

Skrastins, who was heavily criticized by members of Parliament for
his handling of the ongoing pedophilia case has received little
support since the investigation began last fall.

"[The minister of justice] believes Skrastins' decision was caused by
continuous pressure on him, both from the side of the media and the
side of senior state officials and MPs," said Minister of Justice
Valdis Birkavs.

While no official reason was given for the prosecutor general's
decision, this did not prevent Prime Minister Andris Skele's public
speculation.

"[The prime minister] can only guess that Prosecutor General Janis
Skrastins has decided to resign because he could not bear the
situation where members of legislative bodies are striving to ignore
the basic principles of the division of power set by the Constitution
and to make court authorities politically submissive," said a
statement from the prime minister's press office.

"The pressure exerted on the prosecutor general over the past months
is rooted in the fact that his office has begun to expose large scale
criminal offenses. This does not refer solely to the latest, most
strident criminal case connected with the sexual abuse of minors. "

Birkavs said the courts were not protected from political pressure
from legislators and executive bodies.

Repeating previous promises about improving the legal system, Birkavs
pledged that he would soon strengthen the courts in Latvia.

The minister also said it would be difficult to find a replacement,
because there are not very many people who have Skrastins' experience
or his knowledge of criminal law.

Under Latvian law, Skrastins cannot leave his position immediately;
he must serve another three months before stepping down.

The prosecutor general's office said it hoped the terms of Skrastins'
resignation will prevent parliamentary deputies from rushing through
revisions to the prosecution law.

While the justice minister supported that view, saying the
prosecution law is good enough and the office has done good work on
the whole, he used harsh words to describe Skrastins' departure:
"[Skrastins' resignation] shows that there seems to be a crisis in
the prosecutor's office."