Defence and Security

One of the biggest spying scandals at Riga International Airport after the investigation of Security Police of two and a half years has ended with nothing. The criminal proceedings have been terminated against the most initially suspected person - the former security department manager of the airport Raimonds Lazdiņš. As reported before, in 2013 the board of the airport became aware of eavesdrop and decided to suspend three employees - Reinis Lazdiņš (who before worked as an advisor about security issues for the former Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis) and two of his subordinates the former police officer Ints Rubežs and the former employee Andris Savko of Riga Central Prison. Therefore, the criminal proceeding were initiated by the Security Police.

A United Nations Whistleblower has resigned over the organisation’s failure to hold senior officials to account

When M. Dalik asked for more than 480 million, he did not act as a lobbyist but attempted fraud. It is also the reason for which he was sent for four years to prison. Supreme Court Justice Martin Zelenka says that Dalik purposefully and illegally offered something that he could not arranged in any way. Dalik was condemned for demand of three times six million euros for continuing of Pandur armored personnel carriers's delivery for the Czech army.

Republished older article. The late Prince Bernhard of Holland has been connected to another case of receiving bribes from an airplane manufacturer. In the 70s the prince allegedly received bribes from the manufacturer Lockheed to ensure new military planes would be purchased from them. With the release of files that were kept secret until after his death it seems that he has accepted bribes from Northrop as well, Lockheed's competition.

The Appeals Court mitigated lobbyist Marek Dalik's five-year sentence by one year. Dalik is condemned for his request for a bribe of half a billion CZK in connection with the purchase of Pandur armored carriers. According to the final judgment, the lobbyist will go to jail for four years ago, he has to pay four million CZK, which is about a million less than the original judgment of the Prague Municipal Court. mitigate punishment

Former top Pentagon official John Crane takes the side of NSA whistleblower.

Former Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder mentioned in an interview that whistleblower Edward Snowden might have broken the law by leaking information, but that he proved the United States a great service by starting a debate around the criticized secret American research programs. Holder still thinks Snowden should return to the United States to face the consequences of his acts, but also indicates that the authorities can take his service to the public debate into account with sentencing.

Former State Secretary of Justice Eric Holder stated that Edward Snowden performed a useful service for the public. However, he still thinks Snowden should return to the US to face justice.