Whether Latvian MP Janis Adamsons is really, truly a KGB official rests in the hands of the politicians in Parliament.
Published:
14 March 2000 y., Tuesday
A court_s ruling told Adamsons, his supporters and foes on March 3 what they already knew: Adamsons was a staff officer in the Soviet KGB operated border guard.The court was expected to answer whether Adamsons_ involvement in the border guard put him in violation of a parliamentary rule excluding KGB officials that could have put Adamsons on the wrong side of an election law and possibly out the door.
Hearing the verdict, Adamsons and his attorney, were puzzled. He would have to see, he said, as elder supporters cheered and chanted his name in the courtroom.
Adamsons of the Social Democrats Workers Party, announced on March 6 that he will appeal the verdict to a higher court. Adamsons worked in the KGB Border Guard from 1979-1992.
The ruling will no doubt have to be appealed to gain clarity of Adamsons_ status, but politically it is unfavorable to Adamsons. LETA wire service reported that Latvia_s Way Party chairman Andrejs Pantelejevs characterized the Riga Zemgale District Court_s ruling as using of the "wisdom of Solomon."
According to Parliament regulations, a member can be expelled if he has broken election laws, one of which excludes from the body persons who have been KGB officials.
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
Latvia's next ambassador to the United States may be Māris Riekstiņš, replacing Aivis Ronis, whose tour of duty ends this year
more »
Gerhard Schröder's ruling Social Democrats have bowed to public pressure and announced plans to scrap Germany's 54-year-old ban on national plebiscites
more »
Turkey could open European Union entry talks as early as next April should the EU decide that the country is up to the EU's economic and democratic standards
more »
All EU member states have to share the burden of securing the bloc's external borders, according to the incoming European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs
more »
The president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Yoriko Kawaguchi in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana
more »
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami plans to visit Belarus in September 9-10
more »
Belorusian KGB investigators have charged opposition politician with stealing office equipment from the Business Initiative think tank
more »
Europe's newest and youngest prime minister, Stanislav Gross, 34, now leads his coalition with a one seat majority in the lower house of parliament
more »
Japan's House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono suggested Tuesday that Japan should maintain its war-renouncing Constitution rather than revising it in order to try and gain a permanent seat of the UN Security Council
more »
Rumsfeld in Russia: Differences persist between the two countries
more »