Riga Education Department Director Resigns After Admitting Service Car Misuse

The director of the Riga City Council's Education Department has stepped down following revelations that he misused a departmental vehicle. He confessed to using the service car nine times in December to travel home after work, failing to make the required entries in the route tracking documents.

This occurred during a period of intense activity for the department, which was simultaneously handling complex tasks such as preparing the municipal budget, implementing the transition to a unified school system, and planning school network reorganization. The director stated that his work duties regularly extended beyond standard working hours during this time.

Accepting responsibility for his actions, the director acknowledged the violations. He indicated that the initiated case would be concluded through a pre-trial settlement, coinciding with his resignation. Despite the circumstances, he expressed pride in the department's accomplishments, highlighting the implementation of a unified digital application and admission system for 10th graders, the transition to a single school system, and the development of cultural life in Riga's neighborhoods.

Ivars Balamovskis was appointed director on March 25th of this year, taking office in April, after serving as the acting head of the department for an extended period. His departure follows the misuse of the service car, a transgression that has led to his resignation from the post.