In February 2019, Jaunzeme was appointed to the position of Director General of VID for five years. On July 28 of this year, the Ministry of Finance received a submission from Jaunzeme, in which she indicated that she did not want to continue in post after her current term of office expires on February 11, 2024.
In September 2022, former Minister of Finance Jānis Reirs (New Unity) issued an order regarding the initiation of disciplinary proceedings and her temporary suspension over corruption claims involving some of her subordinates (but not her).
Her tenure of the tax authority has been turbulent – as indeed were the tenures of many of her predecessors. Another candidate was orginally named in the competition to take the helm at VID in 2018, only to abruptly withdraw his candidacy almost immediately. That contest in turn had been prompted by the sudden death of his predecessor. Before that, a previous tax chief had announced an ambitious reform plan for the organization – and then resigned soon afterwards citing the futility of trying to implement it.
With news of Jaunzeme's departure, yet another contest to fill one of the most unpopular positions in Latvia will need to be launched.
