Latvia begins work to speed up party liquidations

Forty political parties and associations in Latvia have begun but not completed liquidation, with some cases dragging on for years, LSM reported. The Justice Ministry is working on changes to the process.

Eleven parties in liquidation owe the state a combined total of more than one million euros, according to the article. Data from the Enterprise Register show that Latvia has 86 registered political parties and associations; 33 of those in liquidation began the process at least six years ago.

The longest-running case is that of Latviešu partija, which entered liquidation in 2006. Current regulations set no maximum time for liquidation, and there is no legal basis for removing a political party that has remained in liquidation for a long time from the register.

One obstacle is that courts often appoint the entire party board as liquidators, with members holding joint representation rights. This means they must agree on a final decision together. “If the whole board is appointed as liquidators, the problem is that they cannot reach agreement among themselves,” said Amīlija Raituma, head of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau’s political party finance control division. She said those seeking to complete the process may lack the tools to formally liquidate the party.

The bureau has proposed simplifying the process. The Justice Ministry describes the result of prolonged liquidations as political organisations that formally exist but are inactive in practice.