Security Police suspect violations in leak

Latvia’s Security Police have turned to the Constitutional Protection Bureau claiming that classified information protection regulations may have been violated at the State Chancellery, reports LETA.

The Security Police are already investigating an incident regarding information about former airBaltic head Bertolt Flick's lawsuit against the state that was leaked to the press. The police have carried out searches at the State Chancellery deputy director Ivars Mekons' home and office in the case.

Several data storage devices with classified information were seized during these searches, some of which also contained other sensitive information besides that which dealt with Flick's lawsuit. The Security Police believe that several officials may have violated the regulations on protection of classified information, which is especially worrisome taking into consideration the forthcoming Latvia's European Council presidency.

On Sept. 23 this year, Latvian State Television's program "Panorama" reported that the state may have to pay compensation of 15-16 million lats to Flick if his claim was found to be justified by the International Court of Arbitration. "Panorama" said it had gained access to the State Chancellery's report on potential scenarios if the judgment was favorable for Flick.

The State Chancellery said that the leaked information regarding possible compensation to Flick was an attempt to discredit its work and influence its point of view.

Mekons told members of the press on Sept. 24 that the information the media got a hold of was internal correspondence, and it was leaked with the aim of attempting to influence and change the State Chancellery's point of view on this matter. He also pointed to connections to a certain corporate raiding case, where a negative court ruling could cost Latvian taxpayers approximately 50 million lats. He said that this group of persons attempting to influence the State Chancellery was involved in the corporate raiding case, and the Flick affair was also connected with this.