Former top Latvian official Citskovskis finds new role at identification document bureau

Jānis Citskovskis, who recently resigned as director of Latvia's State Chancellery amid a travel expense scandal, has secured a new position at the Public Procurement Monitoring Bureau (PMLP).

Citskovskis is now heading an ambitious European Union project aimed at developing a new information system for personal identification documents. The project, which began last year and is slated for completion in 2029 with a total budget of ten million euros, seeks to streamline the process of issuing identity documents. The goal is to provide Latvian residents and foreigners with faster, more secure, and convenient access to personal identification, enhancing both physical and digital identification capabilities.

This move marks a return to the PMLP for Citskovskis, who previously held a leadership role there in the 1990s and served as deputy head of administration from 2004 to 2015. His career trajectory took a significant turn in July when he was demoted from his position as director of the State Chancellery. This demotion followed a scandal involving former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš's use of state aircraft. Citskovskis resigned in protest of this decision.

Adding to the complexity of his recent career changes, Citskovskis is currently the sole defendant in a legal case known as the Kariņš flights affair. He faces charges of failing to fulfill his duties as a public official, resulting in severe consequences. Citskovskis maintains his innocence, denying all charges.