On 15 April, President Edgars Rinkēvičs chaired a meeting of the National Security Council at the Riga Castle.
The meeting included an in-depth assessment of preparations for the 15th Saeima elections. The Council heard information from European Prosecutor Gatis Doniks and the state security institutions regarding violations identified in the ongoing investigation into information technology procurement and their potential impact on election security. The Council took note that, due to the volume of data retrieved, investigative actions and the drawing of further conclusions may require significantly more time. The Council expressed its support for a full and objective investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. It also agreed that, in the current situation, the use of digital platforms that could create risks of questioning the legitimacy of the elections is unacceptable.
The National Security Council heard separate reports on the election organisation action plan and timeline from the Chair of the Central Election Commission of Latvia, Māris Zviedris, the Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development, Raimonds Čudars, the Director of the State Digital Development Agency, Valdis Pusvācietis, the Chairman of the Board of Latvian State Radio and Television Centre, Ģirts Ozols, and the Deputy Head of CERT.LV, Varis Teivāns.
The Council indicated that clarity regarding the usability of all systems must be achieved by 1 May this year. It also agreed that full-scale testing of any system must be carried out in a timely manner, assessing actual technical capacity, performance and load as expected on election day. The Council emphasised the competence of each institution involved, as well as the need for open dialogue and cooperation.
The meeting of the National Security Council heard reports from state security institutions. The current international situation was discussed, including the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on national security.