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Riga, April 10 (LETA) - On Friday, former acting mayor of Rezekne, Janis Tutins (Together For Latvia/Latvia First), was elected as the new mayor of Rezekne, having been granted a state secrets clearance for a shortened term.

The suspended Mayor, Aleksandrs Bartasevics (Together for Latvia/Latvia First), explained that Tutins' candidacy for the post had been agreed by the faction. At the beginning of the meeting, he also criticized Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Raimonds Cudars (New Unity) and the ministry for commenting on the situation around Rezekne only through the media.

The opposition nominated Inara Groce (Latvia's Green Party/Latvian Alliance of Regions/New Conservative Party) for the mayor's post.

Tutins was elected mayor with the votes of the coalition. Today is the last day for the Rezekne City Council to elect a new leader.

Answering questions from the lawmakers, Tutins admitted at the council meeting that he had been granted a state secrets clearance for a shortened period of two years. He predicted that this period would be extended after two years.

He also revealed that he would keep the posts of his advisers and did not plan any major changes in this area.

After being elected to office, the new mayor said that the municipality would continue its work in the economic sphere by developing the industrial park and creating new jobs. He also noted that attention must be paid to social issues, particularly support for senior citizens.

Another area that will be a priority for the new mayor is demographics and the related network of educational institutions. Tutins did not hide the fact that the number of children in kindergartens and schools is declining, and this year there have been virtually no waiting lists for preschool institutions in the city.

Earlier, Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Cudars suspended Rezekne Mayor Bartasevics because he was not granted a special permit for access to state secrets.