Thursday, January 31, 2008

Not just firewood, also candidates proposed (UPDATED)

LETA just announced (Ceturtdiena, 31. janvāris (2008) 09:08) that the Minister of Interior has heard about two new candidates for the director of the Latvian Intelligence Bureau (SAB) - incumbent security advisor of the president, Mr Raimonds Rožkalns and the deputy director of the SAB Uldis Dzenītis.

Allright, now is the time for investigative journalists to start their job! In the meantime Mr Kažociņš should start looking for fresh water and cool down the fire under his seat:)

UPDATED

Here we go (fast isnt it:!!) and Eurasian Secret Services Daily Review has in its report smth. about Mr Raimonds Rožkalns.

Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis denies media reports that Alexei Loskutov will be replaced as the head of the Bureau on prevention and struggle against corruption (KNAB) by Raimonds Rozkalns, the current security adviser to the President, online paper Delfi reports.
"These are unfounded rumours", said Kalvitis. He noticed that the decision on Loskutov’s replacement could be taken only by the government.
In 1996 Rozkalns was compelled to leave the post of the chief of the Security Police (DP) because of suspicions of his contacts with the Russian secret services, Delfi adds. During the trial on illegal transportation of refugees the accused Sergei Katan submitted to the Riga district court materials, containing recordings of discussion between Rozkalns and the head of counterespionage directorate of the Russian army Vitaly Ramza. Recordings had fixed discussion on a possibility of illegal transfer of immigrants to Scandinavia. After publicising of the recordings Rozkalns was dismissed and transferred to a position in the Bureau of constitutional protection (SAB).
In an interview to LNT channel Rozkalns said that the rumours had been surprising as he had just arrived to Riga from his previous position in Brussels and had started his work in the presidential administration.

And Radio Free Europe No. 143, Part I, 25 July 1996 reports:


LATVIAN SECURITY POLICE HEAD FIRED

The Cabinet on 23 July decided to
unanimously fire Raimonds Rozkalns, on the recommendation of Interior
Minister Dainis Turlais, LETA reported. Rozkalns was implicated in a
scandal in which Russian and Latvian security forces allegedly conspired
to create a corridor for transiting illegal immigrants through Latvia.
Angered by the suicide of a drunken border guard on 23 July and 12 other
deaths in the armed forces this year, Prime Minister Andris Skele on 24
July instructed Defense Minister Andrejs Krastins to fire National
Defense Commander-in-Chief Juris Dalbins, BNS reported. President Guntis
Ulmanis appointed Navy Commander and Deputy Army Commander Gaidis
Zeibots as Dalbins's acting replacement until the parliament approves
the dismissal. -- Saulius Girnius

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