Drawing on experience to fight corruption throughout the world
KNAB seeks to share its experience and learn from specialists in other countries in the area of prevention and countering of corruption.
Over the past 4 years KNAB has participated in seminars and conferences organised by the United Nations, Council of Europe, Baltic Sea States Council (Task Force on Organised Crime, Economic Co-operation), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), European Commission.
Specialists from KNAB have visited Canada, Germany (Hamburg, Raesfeld), Hong Kong (one official received Post-Graduate Certificate in Corruption Studies of the Hong Kong University), Japan, Lithuania, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States (U.S. Department of State seminar on Responsibility in Public Sector and Private Sector).
KNAB has also provided experts in Moldova, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Armenia, and Tajikistan.
Experts from other countries regularly work at KNAB, including from France, Australia, Austria, the United States and other countries.
Foreign delegations often visit KNAB. Recently we received delegations from Netherlands (Civil Service), Finland (Chamber of Commerce) and Germany (Bundestag).
Strengthening bilateral co-operation with anti-corruption authorities in other countries
In September 2005 KNAB and the Special Investigation Service of Lithuania concluded a bilateral inter-institutional co-operation agreement. This agreement aims to strengthen cooperation of both specialised authorities in the areas of corruption prevention, intelligence and pre-trial investigation, as well as criminal legislation. Both authorities meet regularly.
Coordinating the implementation of anti-corruption conventions in Latvia
KNAB represents Latvia in the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption (GRECO). This is the most significant anti-corruption monitoring process and instrument of peer pressure in Europe. It assesses how the standards set by the Council of Europe are met in member countries. KNAB is attending GRECO meetings in Strasbourg 5 times a year. Latvia has participated in the evaluations of Georgia and Estonia. The first round of GRECO evaluation of Latvia is finished (see the report here) and the second evaluation round compliance report on Latvia was adopted in October 2006 (see the report here).
Latvia has adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 12 January 2005. The Law adopting the Convention stipulates that KNAB is responsible for coordination of the implementation of measures foreseen in the convention in Latvia.
While the implementation of the European Union Convention on the Protection of the European Communities Financial Interests in Latvia is the responsibility of the Prosecutor's General Office and the Ministry of Justice, KNAB oversees the implementation of the 1996 Protocol of this Convention.
The contact point for the European Anti-Fraud Office, the "AFCOS", in Latvia is the Ministry of Finance. KNAB participates in the Coordinative Council for the Protection of the Financial Interests of the European Community.
Within its competence, KNAB takes part in meetings of the Multidisciplinary Group on Organised Crime of the Council of the European Union, for instance, on recent project initiated by Austrian government to establish a European Anti-Corruption Network.
Joining anti-corruption initiatives and undertakings
KNAB also takes part in the following anti-corruption initiatives:
- European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network
- Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia
- Anti-Corruption Practitioners Network
- In October 2006 the Director of KNAB participated in the 1st Annual Conference and General Meeting of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities in Beijing, China
- European Partners against Corruption (EPAC).
EU Phare project "Development and Strengthening of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau" in 2004 - 2006
Since 2004 KNAB is running the EU funded Phare project "Development and Strengthening of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau". Within the project 15 contracts on supply and services were concluded for the total sum of 1.5 million EUR. It is scheduled to complete the project by the end of the year 2006. The overall objective of it is to raise both administrative and operational capacities of KNAB.
First component - strengthening of institutional and professional capacity
Within this component experts provided analysis of the situation in Latvia, recommendations, guidelines and methodologies on the following subjects:
- building legal awareness of the society and general education of public officials;
- prevention of state capture;
- use of state and municipal financial resources and property, and EU legislation and practice.
In addition, this Phare project component included training. All project deliverables were presented to KNAB officials, as well as representatives of other institutions such as the State Revenue Service, the Procurement Monitoring Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Members of the Parliament, etc.
Finally, conference room equipment was purchased, including discussion and translation facilities and system control devices had been purchased. This equipment allows KNAB to provide training to public officials.
Here you can download the available Phare project reports:
- Derek Purdy, Legal Regulation of Lobbying.
- Michael Pinto-Duschinsky, Aspects of state capture and political financing: Report prepared for a presentation to the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau.
- Marcin Walecki, Assessment of enforcement of political finance laws by KNAB Division of Control of Financing of Political Parties: Report prepared for the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau
- Marcin Walecki, Direct Public Funding of Political Parties. Recommendations prepared for the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau
- Andrea di Nicola, Offshore Financial Centres and Corruption. A Toolkit for KNAB investigators.
- Anete Pajuste, Foreign Stock Exchange Markets. Guidelines
- Eric Lockyear, Internal anti-corruption control. Report No1: Analysis of laws, regulations and internal procedures with respect to internal control systems in state and municipal institutions. Proposed guidelines on internal control, prevention of conflict of interest and the examination of officials' activities within institutions.
- Eric Lockyear, Internal anti-corruption control. Report No. 2: Proposed guidelines on internal control in the field of procurement.
- Eric Lockyear, Internal anti-corruption control, Report No. 3: Examination of officials' activities
- Susanne Møller Nielsen, Report on EU Funds. Tracking of fraud in EU funds.
- Søren Staugaard Nielsen, Casper Schmidt. Procurement and lease component.
Second component - internal data base and integrated information network
Project is implemented in two steps: 1) internal data base; and 2) integrated information network, i.e. linking of KNAB with external data bases of other relevant public institutions in Latvia.
The aim of these new data systems is to allow KNAB to significantly improve and fasten the provision of information related to its examinations and investigations.
Prior to creation of the integrated system and internal data base, the necessary technical specifications were elaborated and the necessary technical equipment was purchased within this Phare project.
As a result of this project KNAB seeks to develop a successfully functioning integrated information system. It would give an opportunity in the future to obtain and store data from data basis of the Ministry of the Interior, the State Revenue Service, the Land Register, the Register of Enterprises, as well as other institutions faster and more efficiently.
Third component - improvement of operational capacity
With the EU financial support KNAB has considerably improved its material and technical provision and has acquired:
- special intelligence equipment;
- audio and video equipment;
- software for graphic demonstration (visualisation) and analyzing of data.
The acquisition of the above mentioned equipment will allow rise the detection rates and improve investigatory capacity of KNAB.
World Bank projects "Strengthening the Institutional Capacity of KNAB" in 2003 and "Strengthening the capacity of institutions in charge of fighting corruption" in 2004-2007
In 2003 the Bureau received a grant from the government of Japan as part of a Structural Adjustment Loan. The purpose of this grant was to provide assistance in strengthening the institutional capacity of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau through expertise of international consultants on organisational management, corruption prevention and enforcement components. The amount of grant was USD 85 830 and it was administrated by the World Bank. To carry out the assignment three short term experts were selected based on their experience and qualifications and deliverables such as assessment of current situation, identification of problems preventing from more efficient operation, as well as advices on strategic objectives were received after the assignment completion.
In September 2004 agreement between the World Bank and the Government of Latvia was signed allocating 235 000 USD for the project "Strengthening the capacity of institutions in charge of fighting corruption".
Purpose of the project is to provide technical assistance to:
- develop capacity of KNAB in the area of prevention;
- strengthen participation of NGOs in corruption prevention and monitoring of trends in corruption;
- strengthen the capacity of the anti-corruption commission of the Parliament and organise study tours to related institutions.
KNAB is the main beneficiary and implementing agency of the grant. Co-financing is provided by the Government of Latvia.
The project has the following components and resulted in several assignments implemented by short term consultants:
- "Development and Introduction of Provisions of Lobbying in Latvia" with purpose to analyse lobbying practices in different European countries, to examine the options for lobbying regulation in Latvia and to create conceptual guidelines for such regulation. Completed in October 2005.
Read the final report CONCEPTUAL GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROVISIONS OF LOBBYING IN THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA - "Introduction of Code of Ethics for Members of the Parliament (Saeima)" with the aim to promote understanding of codes of ethics and conduct and their relation to law, examine experience of other countries. Completed in June 2006.
Read the final report OVERVIEW OF ROLE OF CODE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAW - "Development of Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau on theme "prevention"" implemented by the company "International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc" (U.S.A.). The objectives of the assignment were: (I) to study experience and approach of other countries in developing internal organizational corruption prevention systems in state and municipal institutions (Read the report); (II) to develop corruption prevention system in the area of public procurement (Read the report); (III) to improve income control system for public officials and natural persons in order to prevent legalisation of proceeds derived from criminal activities (Read the report).
- "Effectiveness of Legal Framework on Pre-election Campaigning" with the purpose to assess effectiveness of existing legislation and develop a more effective legal framework regarding participation in pre-election campaigns in Latvia. Final report is to be completed shortly. Implemented in October 2006.
Read the final report The Effectiveness of Legal Framework on Pre-election Campaigning