Uzulnieks charged over drink-driving, faces up to a year in prison

Former welfare minister Reinis Uzulnieks has been charged with driving while heavily intoxicated and faces up to one year in prison, LSM reports. He was charged under Section 262 of Latvia’s Criminal Law for driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 1.5 per mille.

Uzulnieks was stopped on September 12 with a blood alcohol level of more than three per mille. The charge was brought on September 24.

The offence carries a possible sentence of up to one year in prison, short-term imprisonment or probation supervision. It also entails losing the right to drive for five years.

Uzulnieks lost his post as welfare minister and was expelled from the Latvian Farmers’ Union, but remains the top candidate on the Union of Greens and Farmers list in Zemgale. He cannot be removed from the list without a court ruling, and he has said he would not give up his parliamentary seat if elected.