Latvia's central bank Governor Ilmars Rimsevics should step down while he is under investigation by the country's anti-corruption agency, its finance minister said yesterday.

Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said earlier yesterday that Rimsevics, who is a member of the European Central Bank's Governing Council, had been detained by the anti-corruption agency.

"Given that the governor of the central bank is a symbol for every country, I think that it would be sensible at this moment that Mr. Rimsevics, at least during the investigation, steps down," Reizniece-Ozola told a press conference. The governor's home and office were searched on Friday, Latvian media reported.