VDD has summarized the information about the course of the 14th Saeima elections and assesses that the elections took place in a calm atmosphere. VDD has not identified unlawful activities of persons with the purpose to influence voters’ freedom of choice and election results.
During the pre-election period and on the election day VDD did not detect any attempts by countries hostile to Latvia to influence the course of the elections or results according to their foreign policy interests.
Until now VDD has received approximately 70 notifications regarding possible breaches. More than 20 of these notifications were recorded during the pre-election period, around 40 – on the election day, the 1st of October, however some notifications have been received after the elections. Similar to previous elections, it cannot be ruled out that VDD will continue to receive information regarding possible breaches.
Most of the notifications registered by VDD were related to possible breaches and deficiencies, the examination of which is within the competence of other institutions that oversee the course of elections. VDD mainly obtained information about the organizational deficiencies in concrete polling stations, which were immediately prevented in cooperation with the commissions of the respective stations. VDD also obtained information about possible breaches of agitation rules, which was sent to the competent institutions for further evaluation.
Of the notifications recorded during the pre-election period and on the election day, less than 30 were related to possible breaches, the evaluation of which is within the competence of VDD. The information was mostly about possibly influencing voters’ freedom of choice, in some cases – about possible so-called vote buying. Most of the notifications have already been verified by VDD without obtaining confirmation of unlawful activities. In some cases, when VDD received information about possible plans to unlawfully influence voters’ freedom of choice in favor of some political party, VDD conducted preventive talks with individuals, warning of the impending criminal liability in case of committing the breaches.
Until now VDD has not initiated criminal proceedings for possible unlawful activities in connection with the 14th Saeima elections. At the same time the verification of received notifications is still ongoing.
VDD is the counterintelligence and internal security service of Latvia whose activities are aimed at identifying and preventing possible threats to Latvia’s national security. VDD’s main competences are counterintelligence, protection of state secrets, protection of constitutional order, economic security, counterterrorism, protection of dignitaries and pre-trial investigation.
Information prepared by VDD
Illustrative photo, VDD
