RIGA, Dec 10 (LETA) - Most of the senior local government officials have so far received security clearances required to perform duties involving access to state secrets, however, more than 20 officials are still being vetted for security clearance, Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Raimonds Cudars (New Unity) told Latvian Television on Wednesday.

The State Security Service has extended the deadline for assessing more than 20 officials' compliance with the relevant regulations. So far, only one local government official has failed to obtain security clearance, said Cudars.

As reported, amendments to the Law on Official Secret, which stipulate that local governments' executive directors and their deputies must obtain security clearances, came into force on June 1, 2024. Local governments' executive directors and their deputies who fail to obtain a clearance will be dismissed.

At the same time, the Saeima passed amendments to the Local Government Law, which require local government chairpersons and their deputies to also obtain security clearances.

However, unlike executive directors, local governments' chairpersons do not automatically lose their jobs if they are not granted security clearance. Such instances are assessed by the respective local government and the Smart Administration and Regional Development Ministry.