The Saeima Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee has decided to continue working on amendments that provide an obligation to members of municipal councils and executive directors to apply for a permit to access official secrets.
Following the request from the Saeima Legal Affairs Office, institutions will hold joint discussions as to how municipalities will acquire information on whether the officials mentioned in the amendments have fulfilled their obligation to apply for permission and have received permission.
Saeima deputies will discuss the way officials mentioned in amendments will submit to the State Security Service required documents and relevant information.
At the same time, the committee has already managed to review multiple amendments to the Local Government Law and the Law on Official Secret.
The committee rejected the proposal from opposition deputy Edmunds Zivtiņš to list in the Local Government Law that even if the chairman of a municipal council is denied access to official secrets, he or she may still be allowed to remain in their respective post and continue working with affairs not related to official secrets.
Zivtiņš argued that anyone who is elected and is approved in a position is already a person that can be trusted, unless there is evidence to any illegal activities committed by him or her. The politician said legislative amendments cannot be used as an instrument to overthrow council chairmen.
Saeima deputy Igors Rajevs told his colleague that state security institutions do not represent the coalition or opposition, stressing that they are independent and operate in accordance with the law. Zivtiņš said he does, to a degree, agree with his colleague’s opinion.
Senior legal advisor of Saeima’s Legal Affairs Office Edvīns Danovskis explained that automatic non-issuance of access to official secrets will not mean a council chairman will automatically lose his or her post – this is a separate decision.
Zivtiņš then asked what would happen if members of municipal councils decide not to address this issue in such a situation.
State president’s advisor for legislative and international affairs Kristīne Līce explained that if the council does not decide on the dismissal of the chairman who has not received a permit, then the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development will step in.
Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments senior advisor Māris Pūķis allowed that such a situation could lead to a possible dissolution of entire councils.
As previously reported, the Saeima passed in the second reading amendments to the Local Government Law proposed by President Edgars Rinkēvičs. These amendments will an obligation for the heads of municipalities and their deputies to apply for admission to official secrets.
Amendments state that the head of a municipal council and his or her vice will need to turn to a state security institution to receive a permit to access official secrets.
The new order may come into force in most municipalities in Latvia after the 2025 municipal elections.
Previously, the Saeima passed in the second reading amendments to the Law on Official Secret.
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Obligation for heads of councils to apply for permits to official secrets to be worked on some more
