Military Intelligence and Security Service official proposed as next chief of Latvian corruption watchdog

RIGA - The commission tasked with selecting a new chief of the Latvian Corruption Bureau (KNAB) today agreed to propose for the post Jekabs Straume, a high-ranking official of the Military Intelligence and Security Service.

Janis Citskovskis, the State Chancellery head and the head of the commission, told the press after the commission meeting today that the decision had been unanimous. Straume has appropriate education and good foreign language skills. He has been working with the Military Intelligence and Security Service for 15 years and had also participated in the international operations.

Straume feels the calling to establish order in the anti-corruption office and to mobilize it, Citskovskis added, noting that the commission members had seen leadership qualities in the candidate.

At present Straume is a department head at the Military Intelligence and Security Service. Previously he worked in the anti-corruption department of the Latvian State Police at the time the police was still responsible for the fight against corruption.

The Military Intelligence and Security Service is a security agency under the Latvian Defense Ministry.

Citskovskis said that the commission would officially inform the prime minister about its decision today.

Now the candidate proposed by the commission will have to be discussed by the Latvian government. If it chose to support Straume's candidacy, the parliament will vote on confirming him in office.

The commission today interviewed the two candidates to the KNAB chief that were shortlisted for the second round, asking them to present their ideas about the further development of the anti-corruption office and its priorities.

As reported, altogether nine candidates applied for the position of the KNAB chief, and two of them were shortlisted for the second round.

The first tender held late last year to find a new KNAB chief ended without a result. Former KNAB chief Jaroslavs Strelcenoks, whose term in office expired on November 17, 2016, was among the candidates that were rejected by the commission tasked with finding a new KNAB chief.