LATVIA's political and justice systems were thrown into disarray yesterday when the head of a parliamentary commission claimed witnesses had mentioned the names of the Prime Minister, Mr Andris Skele, and other senior officials in connection with a major paedophilia scandal.
Mr Janis Adamsons told parliament that witnesses had mentioned Mr Skele, the Justice Minister, Mr Valdis Birkavs, and the State Revenue Service Director, Mr Andrejs Sonciks, as possibly having links to the scandal.
Mr Skele dismissed the accusations as a malicious provocation and said he would consider taking legal action. "What has been said today has done serious damage to the state. It was done with malicious intent, but we will get to the bottom of it and those behind it."
Mr Birkavs has asked the prosecutor-general's office to open a criminal investigation into the accusations of criminal behaviour made without evidence.
The Baltic News Service quoted a senior prosecutor as saying the Latvian prosecutor's office had no evidence supporting Mr Adamsons' allegations.
A former prime minister and one of Latvia's leading legal scholars, Mr Birkavs has also decided to go on a hunger-strike to speed up the legal action needed to clear his name.
Latvian police last summer broke a child pornography ring, which subsequently took on political overtones after investigative journalists revealed that some of the children had been forced into prostitution and claimed to have had sex with government officials.
The Latvian prosecutor-general initially dismissed the accusations, but was forced to open an inquiry after it was revealed that potential suspects in the case had put pressure on witnesses.
Several people have been detained in connection with the case, but the parliament opened a separate investigation after expressing doubts on the prosecutor-general's commitment to pursue the case.
Both Mr Skele and Mr Birkavs speculated that the accusations were aired to destabilise the government, but said they would not be successful.
Mr Adamsons, who declined to specify how the officials were involved in the case, claimed the witnesses drew a picture of a government run by a homosexual mafia.
A leading political observer said, however, the government was unlikely to be toppled. "Having not found any credible criminal evidence they are playing on people's prejudices," he said. "Adamsons has never been careful in making a distinction between criminal activity and different sexual orientations."
The scandal has already claimed one political victim. Mr Janis Skrastins, the prosecutor-general, resigned on January 3rd due to loss of confidence in his handling of the case.
Mr Adamsons is also fighting to save his political career. Proceedings have been started to strip him of his parliamentary seat as he served in the Soviet border guard, formally a division of the KGB.