Meanwhile, Gatis Abele, the head of the economics minister's office and former deputy state secretary for the Economics Ministry, Rota Snuka, Economics Ministry's energy department director, Imants Mantins, former board member of Latvijas Pasts postal company, and Intars Birzins, the Competition Council's analytical department director, have been named as the council members of the SPRK.
First the government has to discuss the candidates for the SPRK, and the final decision has to be made by Saeima.
The commission's chairman and one council member have to start in their positions on February 25, 2016, while other council members will start working on July 2, 2016, when the term in the office of the current members expire.
According to LETA archives, Valdis Lokenbahs has been the Public Utilities Commission's chairman since February 2011, and the current council members are Andris Anins, Inese Ikstena, Rolands Irklis and Gints Zeltins.
According to Irklis' LinkedIn profile, he has worked as a lawyer at Excelsio group and the Convents law firm, serving as the Legal advisor to the Bank of Latvia from 2007 to 2010. He became commissioner at the utility regulator in 2011.
The SPRK is an institution responsible for the regulation of energy, telecommunications, post and railway sectors.