cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/11654572

During the current pre-election period, the State Security Service (VDD) is keeping a close eye on "what is happening in society and the information space" in order to prevent attempts to illegally influence the course and results of the 15th Saeima elections, it said on September 28th.

"During the elections, the VDD, in cooperation with the State Police and other state and local government institutions, will implement enhanced security measures to ensure free and fair elections," the VDD said.

The competence of the VDD is to identify and prevent attempts by both foreign and Latvian nationals to illegally influence the conduct and results of elections.

"In the opinion of the VDD, Russia may potentially intensify disinformation campaigns against political forces and parliamentary candidates who strongly oppose Russian aggression and support Ukraine in order to influence public opinion and election results in the Latvian information space ...," said a VDD release.

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The VDD also asked the public to provide information on detected cases of the production or dissemination of deliberately false discrediting information about a political party or candidate for deputy using 'deepfake' technology.

Information about possible violations can be sent to the e-mail address velesanas@vdd.gov.lv by calling the 24-hour telephone number 67208964. The VDD guarantees the confidentiality of the information provider.

It will also be interesting to see how ready popular social networks such as X, Facebook and TikTok are over coming days to run misleading, scaremongering or propagandistic advertisements – though this was not mentioned by the VDD in their release.

The State Security Service (VDD) is one of the three Latvian Security and Intelligence Services, the others being the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) and the Defence Intelligence and Security Service (MIDD).

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Latvia's staunchly pro-Ukraine Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs is likely to retain power after Saturday's national election, as many voters ​grow wary of potential Russian aggression amid airspace incursions that brought down the previous coalition.

Kulbergs, 47, a former racing driver, came to power in May after ‌a previous coalition crumbled over its handling of incidents in which stray military drones flew undetected into Latvia. Though the drones were Ukrainian, officials have blamed Russia for causing them to divert from their flight paths.

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