Egils Helmanis

Egils Helmanis (born 30 December 1971) is a Latvian politician, businessman and close combat instructor. From 2017 to 2026, he was Chairman of the Council of Ogre Municipality. He has been embroiled in various controversies.

Before entering politics, Helmanis was a businessman and military-style martial arts instructor.

Political activities Helmanis joined the nationalist All for Latvia! party in 2008. He was elected to the Council of Ogre Municipality in 2009 from the common All for Latvia!/Civic Union list, becoming Deputy Chairman in 2011. After spending some time in opposition, Helmanis became the Chairman on 16 June 2017 after the 2017 municipal elections, being re-elected in 2021 and 2025. He became incapacitated and was undergoing treatment, so he has been unable to work or perform his duties for a long time because he has not applied for state secret clearance and on February 3, 2026, he announced his resignation because he was again in the hospital.

Controversies In 2009, Helmanis was charged with being part of an extortion racket and was convicted in April 2018, which was then appealed. Helmanis stated throughout that being charged with extortion would not interfere with his duties on the Ogre Municipality Council.

Before the 2017 municipal elections, Helmanis demanded before that local journalists sign a document agreeing not to pry into his private life. but the criminal process was later terminated due to lack of evidence.

In late 2023, Helmanis was criticized for inviting sanctioned Russian oligarch Petr Aven to organize a porcelain exhibition at the Ogre History and Art Museum amid museum employee allegations of pressure and threats, culminating in a Helmanis-ordered sealing of the museum director's office and firing of the head staff of the museum. A protest was organized in front of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on April 20, in which protesters demanded the sacking of Helmanis and the council, which is among the powers of the ministry.

In December 2024, the Latvian Ombudsman Juris Jansons announced that violations of political neutrality and misinformation were found in the Independence Day greetings of Egils Helmanis to the local residents in the municipal newsletter Savietis. The greeting espoused anti-civil unions overtones, stating that: "At a time when we should be fighting for a mood of masculinity and militancy in the nation, we have a government fighting for the right of two men to marry. (..) Look for the Kangars [fictional character] in the Latvian people".