Olaine municipal councillor Vurčs given 200 hours of community service for providing false information

The Riga District Court has imposed 200 hours of community service on Andris Vurčs, a member of the Olaine municipal council in Latvia. The court found him guilty of knowingly providing false information to the municipal election commission, the body that organises and oversees the conduct of local elections.

Community service is a criminal penalty that requires unpaid work for the benefit of society for a set number of hours. In this case the sentence is 200 hours.

The ruling was reported by Latvian Television, the country's public broadcaster. The available information does not specify what exactly the councillor told the election commission, when it happened, or whether the judgment has entered into force. It is also not known whether Vurčs will appeal.

Olaine municipality is located near Riga, and its council members are elected in local government elections. The source does not say whether the conviction will affect Vurčs's work as a councillor.