The legal committee of the Latvian parliament agreed on May 9 to publish KGB files that were left behind in Latvia after the country won its independence in the official newspaper Latvijas Vestnesis on Nov. 1. The date was chosen so that the files, when published, would not effect the parliamentary elections in October.
"This timing would ensure irreversibility of processes and preclude any accusations of political games," said committee chairman Mareks Seglins. No committee members objected to the date and no alternative dates were proposed.
The files will release the following information about former KGB agents: name, surname, father's name, date and place of birth, codename, the date of recruitment, position within the KGB, and, if applicable, the date on which he or she was discharged.
When the files are released, information about whether there had been a court ruling on the individual's KGB status will be included Indulis Zalite, the head of the Latvian Center for Document Totalitarian Consequences, will write a 12-page statement to be included with the information.
On March 7, the legal committee agreed that the names of KGB agents would be published. The list will include around 4,500 names.
