Open Data Albania has conducted a research into the funds collected and spent by electoral subjects in the 2011 electoral campaign. Thanks to the research, a balance sheet of the electoral campaign expenses ? in our case concerning the 2011 local government elections ? is being published for the first time ever. The balance sheet is based on the electoral subjects? own official data, as presented on their reports submitted for auditing to the certified accountants.

The electoral subjects accrue public and non-public funds. Public funds are the revenues benefited by electoral subjects directly by the state budget in conformity with the legal provisions. In addition, both political parties and Independent candidates are entitled to benefit donations (private contributions) from the non-public funds in possession of private entities and persons. The collection and management of these funds takes place in conformity with the Electoral Code.

In the campaign for the 2011 local government elections, the electoral subjects, political parties and independent candidates, have spent in total 364,172,362 (three hundred sixty-four million one hundred seventy-two thousand three hundred sixty-two) Leks. The largest funds are collected and spent by the parliamentary parties, political entities which have elected at least an MP to the Assembly in the previous general elections.

These parties account for 98% of the total of benefited funds. The non-parliamentary parties have collected only 1% of the total funds, or 2,738,750 (two million seven hundred thirty-eight thousand seven hundred fifty) Leks. 94 independent candidates participated in the 2011 local government elections. In line with the reports drafted by certified accountants they have raised funds to a total amount of 2,267,920 (two million two hundred sixty-seven thousand nine hundred twenty) Leks, or 1% of the total funds collected during the 2011 electoral campaign.

Electoral funds and expenses. 2011 Electoral Campaign


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

We observe that the Electoral Subjects? expenses in the 2011 electoral campaign exceed the collected funds. The difference between revenues and expenses amounts to 26,315,804 (twenty-six million three hundred fifteen thousand eight hundred four) Leks, or 7.23% of the total expenses. In other words, 92.77% of the total expenses were covered by the funds collected by the electoral subjects for the 2011 electoral campaign.

Expenses Excess, 2011 Electoral Campaign.


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

Political parties collect 99% of the campaign funds. Only 15 out of 55 political parties registered as electoral subjects in 2011 have declared the collected and spent funds. The rest claims that they have no funds and expenses worthy to be registered on the books, and there are others that are not eligible for submitting financial reports.

Referring to the sums registered on the books by the 15 political parties that have submitted proper auditing reports on the electoral campaign, we have found that these political parties have collected 335,588,638 (three hundred thirty-five million five hundred eighty-eight thousand six hundred thirty-eight) Leks. The three political parties with the highest values in terms of electoral expenses in the 2011 campaign are the DP, the SP, and the SMI.

Electoral Funds and Expenses, 2011 Electoral Campaign


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

A classification by the spent amounts reveals that that the two major political parties, the Democratic Party and the Socialist Party have reached the highest values of electoral expenses, respectively with 182,504,749 (one hundred eighty-two million five hundred four thousand seven hundred forty-nine) Leks and 136,498,265 (one hundred thirty-six million four hundred ninety-eight thousand two hundred sixty-five) Leks.


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

Other parties with expenses varying from 1,000,000 to 20,000,000 Leks are SMI, PJIU, DRP new, ARP. The chart below illustrates the respective amounts.


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

Smaller parties or parties with modest expenses are DA, G99, AFP, DRPnew, AWMP, MEGA, ACDP, PAP, and PPD. The chart below illustrates the respective amounts.


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

Dwelling on the excesses or surpluses between the political parties? collected and spent funds in the 2011 electoral campaign, we observe that there are only two parties that have seen an excess of expenses over the collected funds. In other words, these political parties have closed the campaign in the red or with unpaid obligations. The Socialist Party is the political party with the highest expenses? excess.

Parties that have spent more than the collected funds for the 2011 electoral campaign


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

On the other hand, five other parties appear to have collected higher funds than their electoral campaign expenses. DP and PJIU are the political parties with the highest surpluses.

Parties whose collected funds exceed expenses in the 2011 electoral campaign


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA


Source: The Auditing Reports, Political parties, 2011 campaign
Elaboration and Analysis: ODA

Seven other parties have balanced accounting sheets where expenses and collected funds are equal. These parties are the Democratic Alliance, G99 Party, Albanian Future Party, Denied Rights Party new, Albanian Workers Movement Party, Albanian Christian-Democratic Party, People Alliance Party, and the Party of Persons with Disabilities.

Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania
Contributed by: R.E