Of the members of the government only Minister of Agriculture Didzis Šmits still does not have a permit to access official secrets.
His advisor Kristīne Liepa told the media that Šmits does not have a permit.
The Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) notes that the special permit to access official secrets is not issued to only one minister, as the permit issue evaluation term has been extended.
Special permits have been issued to most of Saeima’s deputies that requested them. Issue of the remaining permits is in process of completion.
“Because requests for permits were submitted by Saeima deputies gradually, the permit issue procedure is progressing accordingly,”
stresses the bureau.
All ministers require access to official secrets. Permits are necessary to Saeima deputies that work in committees that frequently deal with topics related to official secrets.
These include the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee; Budget and Finance Committee; Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee; European Affairs Committee, Legal Affairs Committee; National Security Committee; Foreign Affairs Committee; Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee; Public Expenditures and Audit Committee, as well as the Parliamentary Investigative Committee.
Personal evaluation checks last three months. If three months are not enough, it is possible to extend the evaluation term for another three months.
Considering the geopolitical situation, inspections are performed especially carefully.
At the same time, Saeima’s practice indicates that a lack of a permit might not necessarily make it impossible for deputies to not participate in the work done by aforementioned committees, because they also discuss topics not related to official secrets.
Krišjānis Kariņš’s second government was approved on the 14th of December 2022.
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