RIGA - Air Force commander Juris Maklakovs is set to be nominated as the new National Armed Forces chief, and President Vaira Vike-Freiberga will likely send the corresponding letter to Parliament asking lawmakers to approve the candidacy.
National Security Council member and Interior Minister Dzintars Jaundzeikars said there were two options for making Maklakovs the army chief 's he could be appointed immediately or confirmed in the office after a working test period following successful organization of the NATO summit in Riga this fall.
Defense Minister Atis Slakteris neither confirmed nor denied to the press that Maklakovs would be nominated as the new army commander. Slakteris said he would make his decision public as soon as it was made and stressed that it took time to choose such a high-ranking officer.
Slakteris said he would talk with Zeibots soon to offer him "positions where he would be able to put to use his experience and knowledge."
Jaundzeikars said Maklakovs was the best candidate for the post but other candidates 's National Armed Forces Joint Headquarters Chief Juris Kiukucans and Latvia's representative to NATO transformation headquarters Gundars Abols 's also very high-level professionals.
Army chief Gaidis Andrejs Zeibots resigned following a tragic incident in which two paratroopers died during a parachuting exercise, which was judged to be the result of gross negligence.
Jaundzeikars said that National Armed Forces commanders have been replaced frequently since 2000 and problems in the army were "chronic."
"The public is now satisfied, but a high-level professional has left," said the interior minister, adding that good offices could be offered to Zeibots because of the great shortage of high-level experts.
Maklakovs, 41, was born in Ludza County, Latvia. He studied at the Kaliningrad School for Military Aviation Engineers and graduated from the Air Force Academy of Military Engineers named after Zhukovsky in 1992.
He joined the Latvian National Armed Forces in 1993 and has held several offices at the National Defense Academy, including the rector. He was appointed as the Latvian Air Force commander in 2004.
Maklakovs has received several decorations from the defense minister and the National Armed Forces commander. He is married with a son.
