Bojars fires Riga police chief again

Riga City Council Chairman Gundars Bojars dismissed Riga Municipal Police Chief Maris Liepins today. Liepins had already been dismissed in January but a court ordered him reinstated on May 3. Riga Municipal Police Kurzeme District Chief Olgerts Moculskis has been assigned to assume Liepins' duties as of June 1. According to the decree issued by Bojars, Liepins has been released from the post following the completion of an official investigation at the Riga Municipal Police, supported by reports handed from the consultant for the security committee Rolands Ludriks and the prosecutor of the Riga Regional Court, Alla Skurvide. Although the court had earlier ruled in his favor, Liepins had himself decided to step down. However, earlier this week Liepins withdrew his letter of resignation and decided to continue work. However, in accordance with Latvia's Labor Code, both sides were required to agree to the resignation. He stressed that he had not filed the resignation on his own initiative and, therefore, his dismissal on the part of the Riga City Council alone would be unlawful. The previous Riga City Council fired Liepins in January after reports surfaced of various improprieties, including illegally-received bonuses in the year 2000.