Saeima deputy Bondars has parliamentary immunity removed

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On Thursday, the Saeima supported the lifting of parliamentary immunity of Saeima deputy Mārtiņš Bondars (For Development / For!) which potentially opens the way for criminal charges to be brought against him.

Bondars is also Chairman of the Saeima's Budget and Finance (Tax) Committee and was formerly chief of staff to then-President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and then chairman of the Latvijas Krājbanka board at the time of its collapse before embarking on a political career, first with the Regional Alliance and then For Development.

The Prosecutor General's Office requested the lifting of Bondars' constitution-given immunity in connection with it potentially bringing charges related to a contract conducted with his wife. Bondars maintains that he has not broken the law and that in his opinion the case against him is politically motivated.

Bondars has already announced that he would resign from the position of the Chairman of the Budget and Finance (Tax) Committee of the Saeima and would not run in the 14th Saeima elections which take place in October.

In his address to parliament, Bondars himself did not attempt to prevent the lifting of his immunity, saying that he saw no need for parliamentarians to enjoy immunity in principle and that he would favor changing the constitution in that respect.

 

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