Latvia to reopen search for State Chancellery director

Latvia will hold a new competition to find a director for the State Chancellery, a government institution, LSM reported, citing Elīna Šverna, communications adviser to Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs of the United List.

After the first competition failed, the government tried to find a candidate within the civil service without organising another contest. However, no suitable candidate was found, Šverna said.

The new competition will be announced soon, although Šverna could not specify exactly when. Continuing to search for a candidate within the civil service has not been ruled out.

Until a new director is appointed, the duties will be performed by Inese Gailīte, the State Chancellery deputy director for legal affairs.

Background

At the end of June, Latvia’s parliament amended the State Civil Service Law. The changes allow heads of institutions to be appointed without an open competition in certain cases, including allowing the prime minister to appoint the head of the State Chancellery without a competition.

Kulbergs has previously said that lengthy competitions can delay the effective management of institutions, while stressing that he generally supports holding open competitions.

The post became vacant after former State Chancellery director Raivis Kronbergs left in connection with what was described as the “wood industry businessmen criminal case”. A competition announced on May 29 ended without results after the evaluation commission did not advance any of the six applicants to the second round.