IDB closes criminal case for arbitrary cutting of trees on the Eastern border in a protected nature reserve, as no damages have been found

The State Audit found that the forests were destroyed beyond the width of the national border strip, namely 12 meters. The construction project did not foresee a disproportionate expansion of the border strip either.

Elita Krumiņa

State Auditor (12.01.2020)

“The actions of the State Border Guard make us think of a previously observed scheme, in a formal procurement we choose the preferred applicant for the work, while when the procurement is concluded, we act as we think. The consequences are millions of unjustified expenses for the state, irreversible damage to nature and, ultimately, undone work.”

In the border strip in Lidumnieku parish of Cibla district, not 12, but even 80 meters wide strip was cut in some places. The trees growing in the protected nature reserves, for which criminal liability is provided, were not spared either. “The trees cut down in Gulbju and Platpirova swamps” were around 170 years old.

Ivars Leschinskis

Inspector of the Nature Protection Board (09.08.2019)

“(NP: It often happens that such wetlands are cut down?) The first case in my practice.”

The Rēzekne Regional Environmental Administration of the State Environmental Service, including the information received by the Nature Protection Administration, calculated that the amount of damage caused to the environment is 3,354,000 euros. The State Police initiated criminal proceedings.

The case was taken over by the Office of Internal Security, which had begun to investigate other suspicious transactions in the execution of works on the Eastern border, not only near Russia, but also in Belarus. “Igate” received the order there as well. The IDB conducted extensive searches, also detaining the former head of the Border Guard, Normund Garbara.

Garbar’s successor, Neka personala, explained at the time that no one had to ask for permission to cut on the border and it was not illegal. On the other hand, the disappearance of logs worth several hundred thousand is not the responsibility of the border guards.

Guntis Pujāts

Chief of the State Border Guard (09.08.2019)

“If those trees are stolen, it is the responsibility of those who removed them.”

In the criminal case, Kaspars Macāns, project manager of SIA “Ceļu bųvnečias spetsības “Igate”, as well as Valērijs Bluss, board member of SIA “VTV 14” board member, were suspected of arbitrarily felling trees, which caused significant damage. In this case, Ivars Galiņas, the subcontractor of “Igate”, which carried out logging and removed the felled trees, was also a member of the board of “Avoti G” as a suspect.

The IDB has closed the criminal case regarding the construction of the border with Russia regarding illegal cutting of forests and theft of trees. Several environmental protection authorities had given conflicting opinions.

From the IDB documents, it can be seen that in December 2020, the State Border Guard challenged the decision of the Rēzekne Regional Environmental Administration of the State Environmental Service on the destruction of trees to the higher-ranking State Office for Environmental Supervision. It overturned the decision on environmental damage.

Igors Jaunrodzins

Chief of the Office of Internal Security

“The Border Guard exercised its right and appealed this decision. Indicating that the entire cadastral number where the felled trees are located is a border strip. Accordingly, the State Environmental Supervision Office canceled this administrative act and, therefore, there are no losses. (NP: Legally you didn’t want to fight?) We don’t have that authority. (NP: No one compensated the damage caused to nature in the amount of three million?) Currently, the situation is like this. There is nothing more we can do in this case. We have no more losses, there is a different legal regime, and therefore the process is terminated.”

It can be seen from the IDB’s decision on the termination of the criminal case that the Geospatial Information Agency of Latvia clarified the cadastral map and determined a much wider width of the national border strip already after the investigations of the law enforcement authorities had started. And this strip is legally no longer considered a forest. This allowed the investigators to conclude that the State Border Belt Protection Law is applicable and not the Forest Law and the State Forest Service Law. Thus, there is no legal basis for finding arbitrary felling in the nature reserve.

The State Audit Office has the right to obtain information about the progress of the criminal investigation, however, it found out about the closed case from “Neka personalia”. The auditors have requested the IDB to get acquainted with the case materials:

“The state control has received a notification about the termination of the criminal proceedings, but still has not received the decision itself, so we cannot comment on it.