Estonia: Governor of Central Tallinn borough quits after conviction becomes final

TALLINN - The governor of the borough of Central Tallinn, Alar Naame, tendered his resignation after a court's verdict finding him guilty of embezzlement had taken effect on Wednesday.

The verdict became final as the Supreme Court refused to accept Naame's appeal.

Naame said through spokespeople that he has tendered his resignation, which is required by law, to acting Mayor Taavi Aas and was leaving politics and public life for now.

The Tallinn circuit court in September left unchanged the verdict of the Harju county court according to which Naame was found guilty of embezzlement.

The Harju county court at the end of June found Naame, a member of the Center Party, guilty of embezzlement and handed down a pecuniary punishment. According to the court, Naame's guilt has been proven and he has to pay a pecuniary punishment of 200 daily rates, which in his case means 6,300 euros.

According to the statement of charges, Naame staged two concerts at the cultural center of the southern border town Valga in January and February last year that were free for the audience and were aimed at enticing voters to vote for Naame in the Riigikogu elections of 2015. Naame ran in the general elections as candidate for the Valga, Voru and Polva counties.

He is accused of arranging for the payment of the bills related to the two events from the budget of the borough of Central Tallinn. It appears from the statement of charges that the bills for the rent of premises, transport, catering services, music and rent of equipment were paid from the budget of Central Tallinn.