Olaine Council Deputy Vurčs Given Community Service for Providing False Information to Election Commission

The Riga District Court has sentenced Andris Vurčs, a member of the Olaine municipal council in Latvia, to 200 hours of community service. The punishment was imposed for knowingly providing false information to a municipal election commission, Latvian Television reported. The case matters locally because a conviction that takes effect would require him to give up his council mandate.

Background of the case

Vurčs was elected from the list "Suverēnā vara/Apvienība Jaunlatvieši". When running in several elections, he stated that he had received his secondary education at Olaine Secondary School No. 1. After the previous municipal elections, when Vurčs managed to become deputy mayor of the Olaine council, his schoolmates told Latvian Television that they doubted the accuracy of the information he had provided.

What happens next

Vurčs told Latvian Television that the ruling would be appealed. Until the court's final judgment, he may continue to perform his duties as a councillor in the Olaine municipal council. If the conviction enters into force, his deputy mandate would have to be relinquished.