The State Security Service (VDD) of Latvia has commenced an investigation of the public activities of former Latvian MEP Andrejs Mamikins.
The service has taken notice of Mamikins’ participation in a programme of Kremlin propaganda TV channel Tsargrad TV. VDD will evaluate it in accordance with the institution’s competence.
VDD refrains from making commends about the investigation.
Mamikins mentioned to the programme that he has moved to Russia so that his sons “don’t have to participate in gay parades”. In his interview he called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a special operation and said he is confident the Soviet monuments will be restored in Latvia one day.
Mamikins also criticised Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that in the city of Bucha the world was shows “planted black bags”.
VDD also found Mamikins’ post on Facebook. An evaluation has commenced here as well. In in, Mamikins posted a photo with a Russian tank with the text: “While Russians are not allowed to drive to Europe in their cars, there is no mention of tanks.”
The amendments to the Citizenship Law passed by the Saeima in April state that Latvian citizenship may be revoked for a person, if he or she has provided substantial financial, material, propaganda-based, technological, or other support to the countries or persons that have committed actions, including genocide, crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, war crimes, undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence or the constitutional structure of democratic countries, or if the person himself or herself has participated in committing of such actions and in the case of revocation of Latvian citizenship the person does not become a stateless person.
Information about persons committing any of the aforementioned acts is provided by state security institutions. LETA inquired from the Constitution Protection Bureau if its officials have commenced an evaluation of the possibility of revoking Mamikins’ Latvian citizenship, considering his departure for Russia and his various public activities. The bureau responded by saying the condition for the initiation of aforementioned measures is the guarantee the person does not become stateless as a result of revocation of his or her Latvian citizenship. This principle stems from the UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.
According to information available in LETA’s archive, Mamikins was born in 1976. He graduated from the University of Latvia with a Master’s degree in philology. He has worked in journalism for many years.
In 2014 he ran in European Parliament elections from social-democratic party Harmony and was elected. In 2018 Saeima elections he ran as candidate from the Latvian Russians Union. This time, however, he was not elected.
In 2021 Mamikins was hired by the State Labour Inspectorate as head of strategic communication. He got terminated during his probationary period.
Also read: Latvian State Police checks ex-MEP Mamikin’s homophobic post about Rinkēvičs