Aivars Bartaševičs

politician

Aivars Bartaševičs is a Latvian politician and the former mayor of Rēzekne, who has recently been in the news due to the State Security Service's (VDD) decision to deny him access to state secrets, which has led to his suspension from office. He contests the legality of this decision, citing ongoing criminal proceedings against him that have not yet been proven in court, and argues that such actions undermine the presumption of innocence. Bartaševičs has also sparked controversy with his remarks on the demolition of Soviet-era monuments, stating that it constitutes vandalism, and his use of the Russian language in public communication has drawn scrutiny. He plans to appeal the VDD's decision and insists he has not violated any laws regarding his duties as a municipal leader.