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Anti-Corruption Police Arrest Latvian Central Bank Chief


Gov. of Bank of Latvia Ilmars Rimsevics in Riga, Laviaو Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.
Gov. of Bank of Latvia Ilmars Rimsevics in Riga, Laviaو Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018.

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis assured the country and Europe "there is no sign of danger," after anti-corruption police arrested the head of the Latvian central bank Saturday.

"For now, neither I, nor any other official, has any reason to interfere with the work of the Corruption Prevention Bureau," Kucinskis said.

Neither Kucinskis nor the police gave any reason why central bank governor Ilmars Rimsevics was arrested. But a police spokeswoman said there will be an announcement "as soon as possible."

The Latvian government plans an emergency meeting Monday.

Along with heading the Baltic nation's central bank, Rimsevics is also one of 19 governors on the European Central Bank.

The U.S. Treasury Department has proposed sanctions against a major Latvian bank for alleged money laundering linked to North Korea's weapons program.

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