RIGA, Feb 3 (LETA) - Daugavpils Mayor Andrejs Elksnins (Let's Go, Latvia!) still refuses to reveal if he has received security clearance for access to state secrets, maintaining that this is restricted information.

Elksnins told LETA that the question of whether he has been granted security clearance for work with classified information should be asked to the State Security Service (VDD), which vets public officials and issues or denies such clearance.

The Daugavpils mayor reiterated that "all correspondence with VDD, all decisions on the VDD part, are restricted information", which is why he calls for these questions to be addressed to VDD.

Asked if he could resign as Daugavpils mayor if he is not cleared for access to state secrets, Elksnins advised to stop speculating.

As reported, Rezekne Mayor Aleksandrs Bartasevics (Together for Latvia/Latvia First) has failed to obtain security clearance, according to information provided by the Smart Administration and Regional Development Ministry on Monday.

Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Raimonds Cudars (New Unity) has asked Bartasevics to resign.

According to the Smart Administration and Regional Development Ministry, the decision was taken based on the State Security Service's report on denying security clearance for access to state secrets to Bartasevics.

If Bartasevics does not agree to step down, he will have five week days to submit a written explanation to the minister. After receiving the explanation, Cudars will make a decision.

LETA has so far been unable to reach Bartasevics for comment, but his deputy Aleksejs Stecs (Together for Latvia/Latvia First) told LETA that the situation would be discussed at a meeting of the two parties' group at Rezekne City Council.

As reported, Jurmala Mayor Gatis Truksnis (Latvian Green Party) resigned after he was denied security clearance.

The law provides several reasons why a person may be denied security clearance. For example, a person may be denied security clearance if his or her legal capacity is restricted, or if the person was an employee or agent of security services of the Soviet Union or of a country that is not a member of NATO or the European Union.

Security clearance may also be denied if information is obtained about the person that gives grounds to doubt the person's reliability and ability to safeguard state secrets, or if the person has been found to have mental or behavioral disorders, including due to alcohol or drug abuse.

LETA also reported that 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 government 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 government 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.