Lithuania: President urges harsher penalties for crimes against state

Lithuania’s President, Gitanas Nauseda, will propose stricter penalties for crimes against the state, BNS reports. The proposed amendments would introduce life sentences for organising or taking part in a coup. Currently, the maximum penalty for such an offense is 20 years in prison. Also, the president’s proposed legislation would introduce longer prison terms for being…

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Latvia: KNAB searches Sigulda municipal council in criminal probe

Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has conducted a search at the Sigulda municipal council as part of ongoing criminal proceedings, LETA reports. Municipal spokespersons refused to disclose more details, however. According to sources, one municipal councillor and a local businessman were implicated in the criminal investigation. LTV reported that the investigation was looking…

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Estonia: Suspected FSB employee smuggling ammo extradited to US

Estonia has extradited Russian citizen Vadim Konoshchenok, suspected employee of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), to the US, BNS reports. Konoshchenok was arraigned at a federal court in New York on 14 July 2023. He is suspected of violating sanctions by smuggling strictly regulated electronics and tactical ammunition of US origin from Estonia to Russia….

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Latvia: Penalties in national security cases “too mild”: Pres. Rinkevics

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics has asked Prosecutor General Juris Stukans to explain why a Latvian citizen who provided support to Russia got away with just a fine, LSM reports. Earlier, a court found Marats Kasems, editor of Russian propaganda agency Sputnik’s Lithuanian edition, guilty of supporting Russia’s activities against Latvia and sentenced him to a…

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Latvia: Pres. Rinkevics holds inauguration speech in parliament

Latvia’s new president, Edgars Rinkevics, held his inauguration speech in the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, outlining his vision of a “strong, modern, just, and safe” Latvia, on 8 July 2023, LSM reports. The President noted that Latvia was one, yet not homogenous, and stressed that the rights of every person must be protected. Latvia’s biggest…

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Latvia: EU prosecutors probe corruption at Riga public transport company

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has taken up a case of suspected corruption at Latvian capital Riga’s municipal public transport company, Rigas Satiksme, LETA reports. EPPO conducted three searches as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into possible secret collaboration between Rigas Satiksme and private companies aimed at artificially inflating prices for goods and…

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