Following the initiation of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) investigation into procurement fraud in the information technology sector, concerns have intensified regarding the timely development of the electronic voter registry necessary for the upcoming Saeima elections this fall, the TV3 report states.
The registry developer, RIX Technologies, informed government institutions that it has been unable to start work on the electronic online voter registry, which is an important part of the voting system.
The State Agency for Digital Development emphasizes that the company's assignments have been issued and the deadlines can still be met, although they are tight, the report notes.
The situation is complicated by the fact that last year, the company Corporate Consulting assisted in preparing the technical specifications for the procurement of the voting system, from which the Constitutional Protection Bureau revoked the industrial safety certificate in 2022.
The Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Maris Zviers, acknowledged that the commission is also preparing for alternative scenarios. If the registry is not implemented, it may be necessary to revert to stamps in passports or use special registration envelopes, which could significantly delay the announcement of results.
It was previously reported that the State Police, as part of a criminal process initiated by the EPPO, detained 21 individuals on suspicion of fraud in IT procurements amounting to 1.5 million euros, including government officials.
The criminal process was initiated at the end of last year and classified under articles on large-scale fraud as part of an organized group and the legalization of criminally obtained funds on a large scale.
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