Latvian State Security Service (hereinafter – VDD) has summarized the information about the course of municipal elections.
On the election day VDD worked mostly preventively in order to timely identify and prevent efforts to carry out unlawful activities and to secure democratic and fair municipal elections. In the pre-election period and on the election day VDD received more than 150 notifications about possible breaches and deficiencies connected with the municipal elections. More than 70 of these notifications were received on the election day on 5 June 2021, and VDD also continued to receive notifications about possible breaches after the elections.
More than 80 notifications received in the pre-election period and on the election day fell within VDD’s field of competence – mostly about possible unlawful influencing of voters’ decisions. In the most cases the information about the possible breaches was not confirmed. However in some cases VDD detected signs indicating about possible preparation for unlawful influencing of voters’ decisions or other unlawful activities. In such cases VDD warned persons about the unlawfulness of such actions and informed that such actions are subject to criminal liability. Until now VDD has not initiated any criminal proceedings in connection with the municipal elections.
Until now VDD has not received the criminal proceedings initiated by the State Police in relation to possible vote buying in Jēkabpils, but is ready to take over the case.
Less than a half of the received notifications were about possible breaches which fell within the competence of other institutions involved in the securing of the course of elections. In such cases VDD forwarded the information to the responsible institutions for further examination. Most of these notifications were connected with possible breaches of pre-election agitations. VDD established also possible organizational deficiencies in some particular polling stations and informed the particular commissions of the polling stations and the Central Election Commission about that.
In VDD’s assessment, the municipal elections took place peacefully and without significant incidents.
VDD expresses its gratefulness to all residents who provided information about possible breaches in connection with the municipal elections.
Information prepared by VDD
Illustrative photo, VDD
