Jorens Liopa, recently arrested on suspicion of fraud related to IT procurement, has been suspended from his position at the Nature Conservation Agency (DAP), the agency confirmed to LSM.lv.
The DAP received official notification of Liopa’s arrest from the State Police on Thursday, March 19th, according to a statement. Liopa had served as Deputy Director of the Nature Conservation Department since August 6, 2025. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing the digitization of agency processes and services, including the development of the “Ozols” nature data management system, and for implementing information technology security policies within the department’s databases.
This is not the first time Liopa’s tenure in a key government position has ended abruptly. Last year, he was removed from his post as head of the State Digital Development Agency following a scandal involving malfunctions in the electronic voting system during local elections, LSM reported.
The current investigation falls under the purview of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), with officials detained in Latvia as part of a probe into fraud in IT procurements, according to Baltic News Network. The case centers on alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts.
The State Police have not released further details regarding the specific allegations against Liopa, and the investigation remains ongoing. The DAP has not yet named an interim replacement for Liopa.
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