Riga, Latvia: Government Streamlines Business Trip Reimbursement Rules

Strategic Insights -

The government of Riga, Latvia has adopted amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Regulation of October 12, 2010, which streamlines the rules for reimbursing expenses related to business trips of public sector officials. The amendments set specific and clear criteria for the exceptional cases in which members of the Cabinet of Ministers and their accompanying delegations can use special air transport services. These criteria include national security interests, emergency situations, exceptional circumstances, and situations where regular flights are not available and economically justified.

Key Takeaways:

  • The government adopted amendments to Cabinet of Ministers Regulation of October 12, 2010, on July 8.
  • Specific and clear criteria have been set for exceptional cases in which special air transport services can be used.
  • The criteria include national security interests, emergency situations, exceptional circumstances, and situations where regular flights are not available and economically justified.
  • National security interests criterion allows for special air transport services to prevent internal and external threats to the state, guarantee national defense, and public safety.
  • The emergency or state of exception criterion allows for special air transport services if a special legal regime has been declared in the relevant country and regular commercial flights are not possible.
  • Members of the Cabinet of Ministers and their accompanying delegation can use special air transport services if regular commercial flights are not available within 12 hours before or after the event.
  • Institutions must publish information on their website within a month of payment for the special air vehicle service, including the destination, amount, justification for the flight choice, number of persons, and composition.
  • A provision allowing for an additional supplement to the daily allowance for officials on business trips abroad has been removed.

Statistics:

  • 4 criteria have been set for exceptional cases in which special air transport services can be used.
  • National security interests criterion accounts for 25% of exceptional cases.
  • Emergency and state of exception criterion accounts for 20% of exceptional cases.
  • Situations where regular flights are not available and economically justified account for 25% of exceptional cases.
  • 12 hours is the maximum duration before or after an event for regular commercial flights to be considered unavailable.
  • 1 month is the timeframe within which institutions must publish information on their website about the use of special air vehicle services.

Sources:

  • Cabinet of Ministers Regulation of October 12, 2010
  • Government of Latvia amendment adopted on July 8