site.btaGERB Accept MRF's Proposal to Open Funding of Political Parties

106 POLITICS - PARLIAMENT - PARTY SUBSIDIES

GERB Accept MRF's Proposal
to Open Funding of
Political Parties

June 19 (BTA) - GERB agreed to the idea for open funding of political parties, because they will be unable to fund their activity and campaigns after the state subsidy is reduced to 1 lev per vote, said Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Mustafa Karadayi. He spoke after a meeting with GERB's parliamentary group on Wednesday.

Asked whether parties will become dependent on the business, Karadayi said: "Parties will continue to function in one way or another and finance their activities. We propose that this funding should be made public without anonymous donations. Legal and private donors should be known."

MRF tabled their proposals for amending the rules on political party financing on Tuesday.

Parliamentary budget committee chair Menda Stoyanova confirmed that GERB have agreed to MRF's proposal but that they will continue to stand by their proposal for a 1 lev per 1 vote state subsidy for parties.

Stoyanova said that the MRF have tabled amendments for a zero state subsidy and the ability for parties to finance themselves through private donations.

Stoyanova said that the American model of funding of political parties calls for changes which will allow physical and legal entities to make donations to parties transparently by declaring the origins of the money in a National Audit Office register.

Asked whether donations for parties will have a ceiling, Stoyanova said that she sees no reason for such restrictions. Also, a proposal will be tabled so that local and central authorities can lease premises to political parties free of rent.

Last Wednesday Parliament in principle set the state subsidies for political parties at 1 lev per valid vote won at the latest parliamentary elections, down from 11 leva, effective from July 1 to December 31, 2019. Subsidies are available to the parties and coalitions which won at least 1 per cent of the votes at the latest parliamentary elections. IG/PP




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