The Venice Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights approved of the bill on the financing of political party and election campaigns that was drafted by the Central Election Commission. The international organizations recommend merging this bill with the bill put forward by the Democratic MP Vlad Plahotniuc, which also refers to the financing of political parties, IPN reports, quoting a communiqué from the central election authority.
These bills stipulate new conditions for financing parties, from the state budget, and the method of using this money. The authors oblige the political parties whose annual incomes or spending exceeds 1 million lei to order an audit of the financial reports at least once in three years. The limits of private individuals’ contributions will be reduced to 20 average monthly salaries in the national economy, while the contributions of legal entities – to 40 average salaries. It is required the detailed description of the categories of donations that can be received by parties.
Experts of the two institutions said the area regulated by these bills is topical, indispensable and justifiable.
Recently, the Ministry of Justice analyzed the bill with amendments to the legislation concerning the financing of political party and election campaigns and sent it to the Government for approval. The bill proposed by Vlad Plahotniuc is to be discussed within the parliamentary commissions.
