Prosecutor Fines Former Riga Education Department Head for Service Car Misuse

Ivars Balamovskis, who previously served as the acting director of the Riga City Council's Education, Culture, and Sports Department, has been penalized by the prosecutor's office for violations related to the use of his official vehicle. While the specific penalty has not been disclosed, the case confirms that Balamovskis engaged in misconduct by using the service car for personal reasons on several dates in November and December 2025.

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The official is accused of using the service vehicle assigned for work duties for non-work-related needs on one date in November 2025 and on eight dates in December 2025, after finishing the workday.

Prosecutors stated that Balamovskis used the vehicle for non-work-related purposes after finishing his workday. To cover up these personal trips and avoid incurring his own transportation and fuel costs, he deliberately falsified the vehicle's route sheets. These falsified documents claimed the car was parked at the workplace after his workday or started and ended there on specific dates, contrary to the actual usage.

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For mercenary purposes, to conceal the use of the service vehicle for non-work-related needs and thus save his personal financial resources for transport and fuel costs, as well as to conceal the parking of the vehicle in an unintended location, the accused filled out the route sheets for accounting of vehicle fuel expenses, indicating information that did not correspond to the truth.

Despite the misuse of the service car and the falsification of records, the prosecutor's office confirmed that the municipality did not suffer any financial losses. The criminal proceedings were concluded in early July with a prosecutor's order imposing a penalty. The details of the penalty will be made public once the ruling takes effect, as it can be appealed. The potential penalties under the Criminal Law for such an offense include imprisonment up to four years, probation, community service, or a fine, along with the potential loss of the right to hold a specific position for up to five years.

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At the same time, the prosecutor's office confirmed that the municipality did not suffer any material damage.