Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has so far received 95 so-called signals of possible illegal activities to influence the results of local municipal elections. In most cases, VDD has not confirmed any illegal activity.
VDD is currently providing support within its mandate to the State Police in the investigation within six criminal cases initiated on the election day.
During this cooperation in verifying the information, these criminal cases were initiated on the election day pursuant to Section 90 of the Criminal Law, i.e., deliberate hindrance of exercising the right to vote. As the criminal cases are currently under the jurisdiction of the State Police, VDD will refrain from providing further comments regarding these cases.
VDD continues to evaluate several additional signals received on the election day and after the elections, including in cooperation with the State Police. VDD will highly likely continue to receive information about possible violations, as has been the case in previous years.
The majority of the signals received by VDD so far were related to possible vote buying and other illegal ways of influencing voters. VDD also obtained information about possible violations of the established electoral procedure in certain polling stations. As a result of VDD’s inspections, the detected electoral procedure violations at polling stations were immediately prevented in cooperation with the polling station commissions. These violations are however assessed as insignificant and without any impact on the course of the elections.
VDD has also received 26 reports of possible violations, the evaluation of which falls within the competence of other state institutions. VDD has forwarded this information to the State Police and the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau for further evaluation, in accordance with their jurisdiction.
During the municipal elections, VDD has not identified any direct attempts by the aggressor state Russia or other hostile states to illegally interfere in the conduct of local elections and influence their outcome.
Information prepared by VDD
Illustrative photo, VDD
