Minister Tavars suspends VARAM state secretary Balševics, halts his salary

Edgars Tavars, head of the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (VARAM), issued an order on Monday suspending the ministry's state secretary, Edvīns Balševics, from his duties while also halting payment of his salary. The ministry confirmed the decision.

The order is based on Section 39, Paragraph One of the State Civil Service Law, which allows the head of an institution to suspend an official from performing their duties and stop their pay from the date of suspension if criminal prosecution has been initiated against that official.

Previous status

According to VARAM's Public Relations Department, Balševics had earlier been suspended for the duration of a service inspection, but at that time he continued to receive his salary. The new order changes this by cutting off payments entirely.

Reason for prosecution

Prosecutors have launched criminal proceedings against Balševics over three suspected instances of disclosing restricted-access information. Prosecutors confirmed that he has been formally charged and that the case was opened based on a referral from the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB).

In early September, KNAB reported that evidence it had gathered indicated a state official may have repeatedly disclosed restricted-access information to other people without any service-related need to do so.