In a short time, the contests for two influential positions have failed due to political choices, and this has caused a lot of discussion. There are both calls to revise the selection procedures so far, and concerns whether recent developments will not deter professionals from participating in such competitions.
The first case in Riga city council. The former head of the State Environmental Service Elita Baklāne-Ansberga won the competition for the position of deputy executive director of the capital, but the councilors of the municipality decided not to appoint her.
On the other hand, the second selection concerns the search for the director of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency – this is a very important institution at a time when we talk so much about economic growth and lagging behind neighboring countries.
52 applicants applied for the competition, several rounds and interviews lasting five months, and in the end, the responsible Minister of Economy Viktoras Valainis (ZZS) had two applicants on the table to choose from.
Baiba Bļodniece, a former lobbyist, a long-term politician of “Latvijas vyvėdas” and currently responsible for attracting investments to Riga. Fredis Bykov, who once ran for the Saeima elections from the “Movement for PAR!”. In the end, nothing has come of it all – one or another candidate for the position was kicked out by Minister of Economy Valaniis.
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The minister did not hide that he also took into account these political aspects, but the basic desire was to see among the final applicants someone with more experience in business development. And all this should happen much faster.
On the other hand, the organizers of the process at the State Chancellery call the latest events a potentially worrying signal for the further selection of officials.
An example with the LIAA tender can make potential tenderers think about how the decision is made in the end.
Criticism of the selection of candidates this week also in the Riga Palace, where there was a call to change the current system.
Edgars Rinkevičs
The President of the State
“The minister has the full right to reject candidates, but what I thought was very strange is that the minister does not have the right to look at any others within the same competition. In the pursuit of the principles of good governance, we have ended up with, I’m sorry, rather stupid governance.”
The Institute of Corporate Governance says that the current cumbersome process can be improved, but it was once chosen because of an unpleasant experience with politically oriented applicants.
The best solution would be for the minister to clearly define his expectations and vision before the competition, then the selection commission with the participation of the state secretary takes over the process.
Andris Graf
Vice President of the Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance
“Otherwise, it happens that a very long time, working hours, which we can evaluate in terms of money, which both business has invested, business representatives, and the state administration, have been consumed, and there are no results. The victims are those candidates who are likely to think seven times whether to participate at all, those who are outsiders, who have not already worked in the state administration. That political risk is very, very high.”
It is not yet known whether and what exactly will be changed in the selection of officials. A new competition for the position of director of the Investment and Development Agency is also expected soon.
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Tags: Failure LIAA competition concerns selection official candidates future
