Data taken from the auditing reports and the assessments of the independent auditors indicate that there are at least seven political parties, whose expenses exceed the benefited funds for the 2009 electoral campaign and who still have outstanding bills related to the same electoral campaign. The research shows that only four political parties out of seven have declared the subjects they have failed to reimburse for their services before the official deadline of the electoral campaign. They are the SP, the DP, the RP, and the SMI.
On the other hand, the EAP, the DCP, and G99 have not declared the subjects they have failed to reimburse for their services, despite registering on their books the amounts they owe to these subjects.
Companies and individuals who have not been financially compensated by the DP for their services rendered in the 2009 Electoral Campaign.
Source: The Report of the Independent Auditor and the balance sheet of the funds collected and spent during the electoral campaign, 28 May – 28 June 2009.
Comments and Analysis: ODA
Companies and individuals who have not been financially compensated by the SP for their services rendered in the 2009 Electoral Campaign.
Source: The Report of the Independent Auditor on the SP?s Collected and Spent Funds in the Campaign for the 28 June 2009 Parliamentary Elections.
Comments and Analysis: ODA
Companies and individuals who have not been financially compensated by the RP for their services rendered in the 2009 Electoral Campaign.
Source: The Report of the Authorized Auditor on the auditing of RP?s Collected and Spent Funds. 28 May-28 June 2009.
Comments and Analysis: ODA
Companies and individuals who have not been financially compensated by the SMI for their services rendered in the 2009 Electoral Campaign.
Source: The Report of the Independent Auditor on the SMI?s Balance Sheet of Collected and Spent Funds in the 2009 electoral campaign, from 28 May to 28 June 2009
Comments and Analysis: ODA
In our particular case, in view of the fact that the uncompensated subjects are mainly commercial companies that operate in the media sector, the unsettled accounts lead to a flawed situation in terms of observing the media independence. The lawmaker has been especially careful to envisage two provisions that prevent the financial dependence of the commercial companies operating in the media sector on the political parties and vice versa. Specifically, the Article 89, point 3/b, of the Electoral Code prohibits the donation of private contributions to political parties by the physical persons and legal entities that operate in the media sector.
Furthermore, Article 70 of the Constitution bars the individuals who engage in business operations in the media sectors from running for members of the parliament. However, the lawmakers have not envisaged an interactive situation that causes dependence effects due to the failure of the political parties to compensate the media companies for the services rendered. This situation becomes even more problematic if the lines of credit extended by the media companies are long-term spanning over a several-year period. In addition, there is no information as to the efforts of the media companies to seek compensation via the judiciary.
Contributed by: R.E