On Monday, the 22nd of April, Latvian Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis officially informed the State Chancellery of his decision to terminate the personnel selection procedure to find the next director of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) prematurely.
The post of the director of LIAA has remained vacant since the end of September 2023, when Kaspars Rožkalns left it to work as board chairman of “UPB nams”. He first became the Director of LIAA in January 2020.
LIAA deputy director for export affairs Iveta Strupkāja currently serves as the acting head of the institution.
The personnel selection procedure to find the next head of LIAA was announced at the end of last year. A total of 52 candidates signed up, but only five made it to the third stage in March this year.
LTV programme De facto previously reported that Valainis was offered a choice between two finalists – Baiba Bļodniece and Fredis Bikovs. Instead the minister turned to the State Chancellery, requesting additional information about both finalists and other contenders. The State Chancellery explained it cannot reveal this information, even to the minister.
Deputy director of the State Chancellery Ieva Lībķena said this is the first time in her memory when a minister requested additional information.
At the same time, Valainis explained that before the start of the procedure he asked the State Chancellery to present three categories of people with different profiles: experience in entrepreneurship, experience in state administration, and experience in labour lobby organisations. The committee did not fulfil his request.
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Latvian minister terminates LIAA director selection procedure early
