What can we do in Latvia today to see significant progress in the fight against corruption in ten years? What are today’s challenges and future opportunities? Latvia’s results in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index falls significantly short of what was expected in Latvia’s National Development Plan (to reach 64 points in 2024). Over the last six years, Latvia’s indicator has improved only by 1 point, reaching 59 points.
Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau of Latvia (KNAB) and “Transparency International LATVIA” (“Sabiedrība par atklātību – Delna”) invites to participate in an online conference “Corruption – a Threat to National and Global Security”. The conference will take place on 8 December, 2023, one day before the UN International Anti-Corruption Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The working language of the event is Latvian and English, with simultaneous interpretation.
Please fill the registration form by 7 December to receive more information and link to the conference.
DRAFT AGENDA
9:30–09:50 | Opening address
Mr. Jēkabs Straume, Director of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau
Ms. Inese Tauriņa, Director of “Sabiedrība par atklātību – Delna” (“Transparency International LATVIA”)
etc.
9:50–10:30 | Discussion – how to strengthen the chain of criminal proceedings in the fight against corruption.
We often hear accusations that the fight against corruption is insufficiently effective – high-profile criminal proceedings ending with no convictions, legal proceedings being too long, and corrupted persons not receiving sufficiently severe punishments. Will today’s practices allow us to claim in 10 years that we have done everything possible to reduce corruption and recover losses caused thereby in Latvia?
10:30–11:15 | Discussion – private sector opportunities and challenges in taking responsibility for reducing corruption in Latvia.
The demand for business transparency is growing not only in Western countries, but also in Latvia. Research shows that fairness in business should be promoted in Latvia, encouraging entrepreneurs to be more proactive in their efforts to prevent and detect corruption, as well as to introduce and promote the functioning of a whistle-blowing mechanisms. Are we really ready for that?
11:15–11:45 | Break
11:45–12:45 | Presentation by Mr. Oliver Bullough and discussion with experts.
O. Bullough is the author of “Moneyland” and “Butler to the World”. O. Bullough writes about corruption, oligarchs and their schemes, with an emphasis on post-Soviet countries and how the western world’s financial system is used to launder money and hide assets. The second book tells the story of the situation that UK found itself in when bankers, lawyers and consultants had damaged Britain’s reputation, encouraging it to seriously address economic crimes.
12:45–13:30 | Discussion – the fight of Western democracy against corruption in the world.
Since Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, there have been countless discussions about the Western financial system’s fight against oligarchs, money laundering and corruption to contain potential threats to global security. What are the success stories and how should these experiences be taken into account in planning future work?
The conference will be held at “Rīdzene” hotel in Riga, and is supported by:
- British Embassy in Riga, Serious & Organized Crime Network,
- US Department of Justice and US State Department,
- KPMG Latvia.
