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RIGA, Oct 1 (LETA) - The State Security Service has cleared 30 municipal mayors and their deputies for access to state secrets and has not refused any request for security clearance so far, LETA was told at the Security Service.

The clearances issued to the vetted municipal officials have five-year validity. The Security Service continues to assess the eligibility of the remaining applicants.

One municipal mayor and three deputy mayors were cleared for access to classified information already in 2024 when they were holding other posts requiring such clearance. These persons did not need to undergo repeated vetting.

Representatives of the Security Service informed that one municipal mayor still has not applied for security clearance. As LETA reported, the municipal official in question is Ogre Mayor Egils Helmanis (National Alliance). At the end of August, Helmanis posted on Facebook that he would fill the application form as soon as he recovers from an injury sustained during a trip to Ukraine.

As representatives of the Ogre local government informed LETA, the municipal mayor is still on a sick leave. The local government has no detailed information about his health.

The municipality has not submitted the request for security clearance because of Helmanis' absence.

As reported, in March 2024, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Local Government Law proposed by President Edgars Rinkevics, obliging local governments to register chairs of local councils and their deputies for security clearance allowing to access state secrets.

Those chairs of local councils who will not be cleared to access state secrets will not necessarily lose their jobs, but the local council and the Smart Administration and Regional Affairs Ministry and minister might decide on how to proceed in such cases.

According to the new regulation, local governments are obliged to request from competent security services security clearance for the council chairmen and and their deputies within one month of their election in accordance with the procedure established by the laws and regulations.