Rezekne's leader let go due to suspected security issues
On June 1, 2024, a new requirement for municipal executive directors and their deputies to have the State Security Service (VDD)'s permit to access state secrets became effective. In a recent development, the VDD has issued special permits to eight local government leaders for a shorter period (one, two, or three years instead of the maximum five years).
The identity of these local government leaders remains undisclosed, and it is not specified whether Raimonds Olehno, the Executive Director of Rēzekne Interim Administration, is among them. The reasons for the shorter permits issued to these eight local government leaders are also not disclosed.
The State Security Service evaluated all applications submitted by local government executive directors and their deputies for a special permit to access state secrets. The VDD will continue to pay close attention to the activities of these eight local government leaders.
It is worth noting that the shorter permits were issued due to identified risk factors, which are not yet sufficient grounds for refusing a permit under the Law On Official Secrecy.
On Friday, the Reēzekne Interim Administration dismissed Raimonds Olehno, but the reasons for his dismissal remain unexplained in this article. LTV reports suggest that the dismissal of Raimonds Olehno may have been due to the refusal of the State Security Service to grant him access to state secrets.
However, it is not clear whether the refusal of a special permit to Raimonds Olehno by the VDD is related to identified risk factors or other reasons. The State Security Service made one decision on the refusal of a special permit due to identified risks to the security of protected information.
As of now, there is no publicly available detailed information indicating that Raimonds Olehno was dismissed due to the State Security Service's refusal to grant him access to state secrets. If there have been recent developments or official statements regarding his dismissal and its connection to security clearance issues, those details have not been widely reported or confirmed in accessible sources.
This article does not provide information on any other municipal executive directors or their deputies who have been affected by the new requirement for VDD's permit to access state secrets. LTV has not yet been able to contact Raimonds Olehno personally for comment.
The government's policy-and-legislation on official secrecy allows for shorter special permits to be issued to local government leaders due to identified risk factors, as demonstrated by the eight leaders who recently received such permits. However, it remains unclear whether Raimonds Olehno, the Executive Director of Rēzekne Interim Administration, was rejected a permit, and whether his dismissal from his position is connected to these security clearance issues, despite suggestions from LTV.
