Anti-corruption measures at the Naturalisation Board of Latvia in the process of acquisition of citizenship

10/05/2006

Client: Naturalisation Board of the Republic of Latvia

Place: Latvia (Riga, Ventspils, Daugavpils)

Project Team: Senior Researcher Valts Kalnins, Researcher Linda Austere

Financial Support: Embassy of the United Kingdom in Riga

Project Timeline: March-June 2006

Terms of Reference: PROVIDUS was required to analyze the components of high corruption risk within the process of acquisition of citizenship, or the possibilities to abuse the authority of the employees by selfish motives. Specifically, the task was to identify the specific corruption risks, as well as evaluate their occurring probability and the significance as of the level of harmful effect on the process of citizenship acquisition. PROVIDUS also was to develop probable solutions and propose short and long term recommendations. The project also included sensitizing and training the staff of NB on the issues of corruption risks and their minimization.

Main Activities and Outputs:

PROVIDUS experts:

  1. Acquainted themselves with the internal documentation of the NB as well as with the external legal acts regulating the process of acquisition of citizenship;
  2. Interviewed officials of the NB;
  3. Carried out on-site observations of certain stages (e.g. submission of naturalization applications, naturalization exams) of the citizenship acquisition process;
  4. Prepared a questionnaire and surveyed the employees of the NB (69 or more than a half of all employees responded);
  5. Prepared and conducted three seminars where the total of about 70 NB employees participated;
  6. Prepared the Final Report;
  7. Discussed the Report with the Citizenship Law Implementation Committee of the Parliament of Latvia
  8. Presented the Report in a press conference.

Reference: Ms Eizenija Aldermane, Head of the Naturalisation Board, Smilsu iela 1/3, Riga LV 1050, Latvia. Telephone +371 7814001, Fax +371 7814005, e-mail: np@np.gov.lv

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