RIGA, April 3 (LETA) - Five persons that were detained as part of a probe into the construction of a EUR 16.9 million anti-flooding dam in Jekabpils, co-funded by the EU, have been released and criminal proceedings have been started against all of them.

None of these persons are currently subject to any security measures.

The five persons that were detained in connection with the case include Jekabpils mayor Raivis Ragainis (Latvian Green Party; LZS). Ragainis told LETA after his release that he is a person involved in the probe but that he has not been presented with any charges or bound by any restrictions.

Jekabpils councilor Aigars Nitiss (LZP) was also one of the persons detained by the Corruption Prevention Bureau (KNAB on Thursday, his lawyer Juris Moculskis confirmed to LETA but declined to elaborate.

Latvian Television reported that Nitiss is the head of Osukalns, one of the subcontractor firms involved in the reconstruction of the Jekabpils dam. The company informed LETA that Nitiss had provided the law enforcement authorities with all the necessary information and has now returned to Jekabpils to continue work without any restrictions.

LETA, however, was unable to reach Maris Dimants (Jekabpils Regional Party), a Jekabpils councilor, co-owner and board chairman of Jekabpils PMK, the contractor in the dam's reconstruction, as well as Arnis Putnins, the company's board member and co-owner, as their telephones were switched off. Representatives of Jekabpils PMK refused to give any comments to LETA.

Latvian Television reported that the project is being supervised on behalf of the municipality by Ragainis's deputy, councilor Karlis Stars (National Alliance). LETA was also unable to reach Stars on Thursday.

As reported, on behalf of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) in Riga (Latvia), KNAB carried out searches today and detained five suspects, including the mayor of Jekabpils, other public officials and representatives of private companies, in a probe into the construction of a EUR 16.9 million anti-flooding dam, co-funded by the EU.

According to the investigation, municipal officials may have committed, in collusion with representatives of private companies, illicit acts during the public procurement procedure for the construction of an infrastructure to prevent floods in the city of Jekabpils. The project involved the reconstruction of embankments along both banks of the Daugava River and building of anti-flood infrastructure, following massive floods in 2023 that severely damaged the existing protective structure. The project, worth over EUR 16.9 million, was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to up to 85 percent, with the remaining 15 percent funded by the State budget.

The suspects include the mayor, the deputy mayor and members of the municipal council of Jekabpils, as well as representatives from private companies. The public officials are believed to have manipulated the public call for tender, through abuse of their position, in order to put pre-selected construction companies in a privileged position in the public procurement procedure.

The EPPO also suspects that other provisions were violated, including the building regulations and technological requirements. Based on the evidence, building materials of insufficient quality may have been used and the materials for the construction may have been overpriced.

All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Latvian courts of law.

The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.