Out of 61 parties, three have submitted reports — the rest are still looking for their calculators

KNAB waits with angelic patience that surpasses only the silence of Liepāja Lake during summer storms, reminding 61 political parties that annual reports must be submitted by March 31st. So far only three parties have responded, which is about as surprising as news that politicians haven't forgotten how to count money.

The reports must include everything — from membership fees to volunteer work, which in politics is about as rare as peace on the shores of Liepāja Lake when Riga tourists arrive with megaphones. Parties with turnover exceeding 7,400 euros need to be especially careful — they need a certified auditor's opinion, since apparently they can no longer count by themselves.

"Well, I think KNAB will understand — we're still looking for that pocket calculator we always use to calculate the party budget," comments an anonymous party worker who apparently hasn't heard of Excel or even simple paper and pen.

KNAB promises that parties failing to submit reports face suspension of operations. This would be as great a loss to Latvia's political landscape as the complete drying up of Liepāja Lake — theoretically tragic, but in practice might actually improve the situation. All submitted reports will be published so everyone can see how creatively one can explain where party money has disappeared.