Government appoints Kenins head of State Environmental Service

RIGA - The government today appointed the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry's deputy state secretary Andris Kenins as the State Environmental Service's director general.

Kenins was previously selected for the job through competition.

Kenins currently also holds the post of the State Environmental Service's acting director general and is a member of the board at the state-owned Environmental Investment Fund.

Kenins earlier worked as executive director of the Latvian Broadcasting Association and a member of the supervisory board at the Road Traffic Safety Directorate.

Kenins holds a Master's degree in law from the University of Latvia.

Addressing the ministers, Kenins said that his main task would be to reduce the administrative burden at the Environmental Service. The ministers praised Kenins for his work as acting director general of the Environmental Service so far, encouraging him to focus on ensuring that economic development of Latvia continue in line with environmental requirements.

Economics Minister Viktors Valainis (Greens/Farmers) stressed that development of business parks was of vital importance for the country and would have to be implemented in cooperation with the Environmental Service. Valainis called on Kenins to work in his new job "with an understanding of economic development" and to "look for solutions on how to do something, not for reasons not to do something".

As reported, a total of nine candidates applied for the post of the Environmental Service's head.

The previous director general of the State Environmental Service, Elita Baklane-Ansberga, left the post in the summer of 2023 after disagreements with the then minister in charge of the sector, Maris Sprindzuks (United List).