The Association “Promo-LEX” recommends reviewing the electoral legislation, especially in order to reduce the cap on donations for political parties, which is now of 200 average official salaries in the case of private individuals and of not more than 400 average salaries in the case of legal entities. The recommendation is contained in a study of the funding of the campaign prior to the presidential elections. Another suggestion is to ban paid electoral advertisements, IPN reports.
The electoral contenders are asked not to allow using administrative resources in their electoral activities, to ensure transparency in the accumulation of incomes and the use of financial resources when collecting signature from supporters.
According to the Election Observation Mission of “Promo-LEX”, at least 7.6 million lei wasn’t indicated in the financial reports of election runners in this year’s election campaign. Most of the undeclared costs refer to the remuneration of campaign personnel, volunteers and observers as well as to those associated with street and mobile advertising and with the maintaining of campaign offices.
President of the Central Election Commission Alina Russu, attending the workshop staged by “Promo-LEX”, said the experience of other states shows that transparency in party and campaign funding can increase the people’s interest in the political life and can also increase voters’ confidence.
“Promo-LEX” analyzed and implemented the electoral legislation in the other member states of the Eastern Partnership. The Association’s programs coordinator Nicolae Panfil said the Republic of Moldova, even if it better implements the electoral legislation than other EaP member states, has to learn, for example, from Georgia, which did the largest number of reforms in this field.
According to Nicolae Panfil, in Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine there is no central electoral body similar to Moldova’s CEC. However, Georgia has a state audit service that regulates party and campaign funding. At the same time, Azerbaijan and Armenia have central election commissions like Moldova. As to the situation in Azerbaijan, national and international observers doubt it that this body works independently.
