On Friday 6 April, the European Central Bank (ECB) officially asked the Court of Justice of the European Union to rule, as a matter of urgency, on the compatibility with EU law of the suspension, by the Latvian authorities, of the governor of the country's central bank, Ilmārs Rimšēvičs (case C-238/18) (see EUROPE 11977).
The Latvian authorities had prevented Rimšēvičs, who is suspected of corruption in a money-laundering case, from leaving the territory and therefore attending the meeting of the Governing Council of the ECB in early March. However, the statutes (article 14.2) of the European institution stipulate that governors may be relieved from office only if they no longer fulfil the conditions required for the performance of their duties or have been found guilty of serious misconduct.
The ECB states that it has tabled a request to ensure the smooth functioning of the institution concerning decision-making until such time as the Court returns its judgment. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)