Open Data Albania is investigating into the incomes and expenditures of the Socialist Party for its 2017 electoral campaign. The information is extracted from the audit report prepared by independent experts. The final audit report provides well-organized and comprehensive information about the party incomes and expenditures. Such reports are compiled by members of the Institute of Certified Accountants in compliance with the requirements of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Albania (Law No. 10019, dated 29. 12. 2008, as amended) and Law No. 8580, dated 17. 02. 2000 on Political Parties, as amended. The political parties running in these elections were required to declare their expenditures for their electoral campaign covering a period from the date on which the election date was announced. In the case of the general elections of June 25th, this was 5 December 2016.
The Socialist Party has declared to have had 93 882 849 lekë of incomes and 100 884 855 lekë of expenditures. Both in the case of incomes and expenditures, the party has declared not only those in cash, but also those made in kind. These include services offered by donors and accepted for free by the beneficiary. 
According to the audit report, the incomes of this party were 93 882 849 lekë in total.  They include: funds from the state budget, party’s self-generated funds, and donations.
Socialist Party incomes for its 2017 electoral campaign (5 December – 25 June 2017) in ALL
Comments and Analysis: ODA

The Socialist Party declares to have received 28 044 942 lekë from the state budget. It also declares to have spent 56 624 633 lekë from its self-generated funds, and to have benefitted 9 213 274 lekë before the electoral period.

The party’s self-generated funds are reported to include membership fees paid directly to the account of Socialist Assemblies at the municipality level. This amount to 22 373 758 lekë. The membership fees paid to the central party seat before the campaign, on the other hand,   amount to 15 800 000 lekë. The reported party incomes include also donations made from 5 December until 25 May. These donations, however, are considered as donations made for the respective year, as long as they are made before the start of the 30-days electoral campaign. SP has received 14 million lekë from fourteen donors, who have also signed a document of no-conflict of interest.

Funds generated by the Socialist Party for its 2017 campaign (in ALL)
Comments and Analysis: ODA


Non-electoral donors of more than 100 000 lekë each, contribution for the electoral campaign


The party declares to have received a total of 9 213 274 lekë of donations for its 2017 electoral campaign. They include cash and in kind donations, i.e. goods or services offered for free. Cash donations amount to 5 102 000 lekë, while those in kind amount to 4 111 274 lekë.

Incomes from donors for electoral purposes(in ALL)


Office rent represents the largest share of in kind contributions both in the Municipality of Tirana and others. This donation for Tirana is declared to have been in the amount of 1 556 000 lekë.

Donations for electoral purposes in kind  (other than financial measures) by type(in ALL)

The total amount of incomes and expenditures for the Socialist Party is declared to have been 100 884 855 lekë. These expenditures are considered as paid or unpaid during the reporting period. The amount of unpaid expenditures is larger than the paid one. 


In fact, one of the unpaid expenses is the one for TV advertising on Top Channel. Unlike other parties, SP has not declared to have received in kind contributions from media companies.


Comments and Analysis: ODA

SP paid expenditures include TV advertising, campaign opening and closing events, flags, T-shirts, bracelets, consultancy services, office rent, meeting room rent, and other administrative expenses (transport, car rent, tax, per diems, and telephone bills).
Comments and Analysis: ODA


Parties have also declared expenses for consultancy services during the campaign. Such exenses are made based on service contracts with two companies, i.e. Ballard Partners for 14 253 000 Lekë and Synclab LLC for 2 012 250 lekë.


No discrepancies are found between the figures reported by the SP to the Central Election Commission online in compliance with the law (legal package of amendments made in May 2017) and those found in its audit report prepared by the Institute of Certified Accountants expert.
The structure of expenditures and expenses made for the electoral campaign is available on the 2017 Electoral Spending section on the Open Data Albania portal. The same portal offers also information about the incomes and expenditures of this party in previous elections, including those held in 2015, 2013, 2011, and 2009.