Latvian Minister Čudars has officially dismissed Rēzeknes Mayor Bartaševič from his responsibilities following the mayor’s failure to secure a necessary security clearance for handling state secrets. The dismissal was formalized with the publication of an order in the official gazette, 'Latvijas Vēstnesis'. Minister Čudars had earlier requested for Bartaševič to resign immediately on February 2, but Bartaševič continued performing his duties despite lacking the required clearance, which prompted a request for clarification from the minister.

In his explanation provided to Minister Čudars on February 9, Mayor Bartaševič argued that the decision for his dismissal should be proportional and claimed that he had not violated any regulations. He emphasized that municipal authorities operate independently and that the Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development can only intervene in municipal matters and dismiss a mayor under significant breaches of external regulations. Bartaševič maintained that his dismissal was not justified and suggested that it may be politically motivated.

This situation underscores the tension between local governance and central authority in Latvia, particularly in the context of administrative autonomy and the criteria for dismissing elected officials. With Bartaševič being the only municipal leader to have been denied security clearance within the requests made by local officials, this case may set a precedent for future actions by the Ministry regarding local government oversight and intervention.