Bartasevičs does not admit the irregularities pointed out by the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM) and therefore considers his suspension to be unjustified. Meanwhile, the Minister who issued the relevant order feels convinced that the law is on the side of the Ministry.
On Wednesday, the administrative court in Rezekne lasted almost five hours.
Overall, the main task of the hearing was to hear all the parties involved in the debate. Bartaševičs' lawyers had prepared a 44-page speech in which they repeated phrases that had already been heard, such as that the dismissal was political and had no sufficient legal reasons; that the law says that the infringements must be substantial, but the question here is how to define the term "substantial" and which actions can or cannot be counted as "substantial infringements".
Also at Wednesday's hearing, the arguments concerning the use of the state language by the mayor were criticized, as was the fact that the minister had not listened to Bartaševičs before his dismissal.
The respondent, or the ministry, continued to stick to its arguments. The Ministry's arguments are that the President of the Council could not continue to perform his duties because he did not provide true and complete information on the financial situation of the municipality and on the preparation or implementation of the municipality's budget. The ministries also referred to an audit carried out by the State Audit Office last year, which revealed various irregularities.
The arguments of both sides are now before the judges, whose decision is expected in less than a month, on November 20.
