Ventspils County and prosecutor appeal Krilovsky acquittal

Ventspils County Municipality and a prosecutor have appealed a Kurzeme District Court ruling that acquitted former municipal executive director Juris Krilovskis of exceeding his official powers for personal gain, LSM reported, citing information obtained by the LETA news agency from the court.

Krilovskis was found not guilty, while the municipality’s compensation claim for property losses of 14,447 euros was left unexamined.

According to the indictment, Krilovskis knew that the municipal council was due to decide whether to suspend him temporarily. He nevertheless instructed staff to urgently prepare documents transferring three municipal employees to other positions before his possible suspension and the reorganisation of their posts.

The municipal council later decided at an extraordinary meeting to suspend Krilovskis from his duties. Despite the decision and the ban on performing his official duties, he signed the prepared documents, according to the prosecution.

The prosecution alleges that Krilovskis transferred one person to a municipal administration department head position without the required education and qualifications. He moved a second person to a lower-paid position while unlawfully retaining the previous monthly salary. A third person was transferred to another lower-paid position even though no vacancy existed, while the previous monthly salary was also unlawfully retained.

Based on the documents signed by Krilovskis, the municipality paid the transferred employees compensation for downtime, salaries, the difference between their new lower salaries and their unlawfully retained previous salaries, as well as mandatory employer social insurance contributions, the prosecution said.

The indictment states that the alleged criminal conduct caused the municipality significant harm, including property losses of 14,447 euros.

On October 24, 2024, municipal councillors suspended Krilovskis after he ignored decisions adopted by the council at an extraordinary meeting. The municipality dismissed him last summer and had previously issued him a reprimand.