Latvian Academy of Sciences Senate: No Evidence Kalviņš Knowingly Overstepped Powers, but His Action Created Reputational Risks

The Senate of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (LZA) says it is not aware of any evidence that the academy's president, Ivars Kalviņš, knowingly breached the powers set out in its statutes or acted out of personal interest when he recommended granting Latvian citizenship to Indian national Divya Vishwanath. This follows from the Senate's replies to the news agency LETA. The matter is significant because a scandal has erupted over the citizenship grant, Kalviņš has asked to be removed from his post, and the academy's general assembly will decide on 26 November.

At the same time, the Senate acknowledges that Kalviņš's unilateral action created risks to the LZA's reputation and credibility. It notes that the letter was not submitted to the Senate before being sent to the Saeima, Latvia's parliament, and that the Senate had not assessed it beforehand.

The presidium's position

At its 29 October meeting, the LZA presidium concluded that Kalviņš gave the recommendation in good faith, relying on the information he received, materials prepared by the LZA Institute of Economics, previous positive cooperation and Vishwanath's potential contribution to the development of Latvia's pharmaceutical industry. According to the presidium, Kalviņš himself said he had not examined the information in depth.

Planned improvements

The Senate believes the procedure by which recommendations and opinions are issued in the academy's name should be improved. It plans to refine internal procedures and rules, and the general assembly is to decide on setting up a working group to improve internal processes. Improvements are also needed in operational decision-making, internal communication and the allocation of responsibility. The Senate is ready to work with the Ministry of Education and Science on assessing the LZA's legal status, functions and governance model, stressing academic autonomy.

How the situation developed

On 15 October the Saeima passed a law granting citizenship to Vishwanath, and on 22 October it passed another law reversing that decision after doubts emerged publicly about her education, scientific publications and the grounds for the grant. In late October Kalviņš published an open letter saying he was considering leaving his post. The Prosecutor General's Office has opened a review of how Vishwanath obtained citizenship; prosecutors will also assess the LZA's actual role and systematic involvement in citizenship cases, including factors that affected citizenship for her husband, Kanan Vishwanath.