Riga, June 26, 2025 — More than seven months after local elections in Latvia, the State Security Service (VDD) is still vetting mayors and their deputies for access to state secrets, raising questions about bureaucratic delays and potential security vulnerabilities. It’s a situation that’s prompting scrutiny of the vetting process and, in one case, even a health investigation into a mayor’s extended sick leave.
Vetting Backlog Raises Concerns Over Local Leadership
The Latvian State Security Service is facing a backlog in security clearances for newly elected municipal leaders.
- As of today, June 26, 2025, the VDD has issued 92 special permits for access to state secrets to municipal officials.
- Security clearance has been denied to one former mayor, Gatis Truksnis, who has since resigned.
- The vetting process is often delayed due to the timing of requests and the complexity of background checks.
- Ogre mayor Egils Helmanis has been on sick leave since July 18, 2024, prompting a Health Inspectorate investigation.
Q: How long does it take to get security clearance in Latvia?
A: The law allows for up to three months for an inspection, but that can be extended another three months if the VDD needs more time to verify information, particularly regarding periods of residence abroad or identified risk factors.
So far, the VDD has granted 87 officials full five-year permits, while five – two council chairmen and three deputy chairmen – received permits valid for only two years. One former mayor, Gatis Truksnis of Jūrmala City Council, was denied a permit and subsequently resigned. His replacement, Jānis Lediņš, has not yet submitted a request to the VDD for a review of his deputy, Romans Mežeckis.
Currently, the VDD is still assessing the suitability of 25 local government leaders. Additionally, requests for permits and necessary documentation are still pending for two leaders: one council chairman and one deputy chairman.
The process isn’t starting from scratch for everyone. One mayor and three deputy mayors already held positions requiring state secret access in 2024 and didn’t need to be re-vetted.
The case of Ogre mayor Egils Helmanis (National Alliance) adds another layer of complexity. Helmanis has been on long-term sick leave since July 18, 2024, initially taking compensatory leave after a business trip, followed by vacation, and then going on disability due to an injury sustained while visiting Ukraine on August 25, 2024. Despite having served as mayor for less than a month since his election, he has resisted calls to step down.
A vote of no confidence against Helmanis failed, but some council members have requested the Health Inspectorate investigate the validity of his sick leave. The Health Inspectorate confirmed to Latvian Radio that an investigation is underway, with requests for medical documentation sent to relevant institutions and individuals.
Helmanis has stated he will return to work when his doctor clears him, adding that while not bedridden, he is unable to handle stressful work.
The VDD’s assessment process involves evaluating a person’s reliability and ability to safeguard state secrets, analyzing a broad range of information. The extended timelines are often due to the volume of information needing verification, difficulties obtaining records from periods of foreign residence, and the need to thoroughly evaluate any identified risk factors.
Last year, the Saeima approved amendments to the law, initiated by President Edgars Rinkēvičs, mandating state secret clearance for local government leaders. Executive directors and their deputies have been required to have clearances since June 1, 2024, with the requirement extending to mayors and their deputies following this year’s local elections.
It’s important to note that failing to obtain security clearance doesn’t automatically disqualify an elected deputy from serving on the council.
What do you think? Should the vetting process be streamlined, or is thoroughness more important, even if it means delays?
