site.btaElection Authority Sets Terms of Media Coverage Funding for Parties’ Campaigns

The Central Election Commission (CEC) has set the terms of providing and using public funding for media coverage of the campaigns of parties and coalitions for the early parliamentary elections on April 19, the CEC press office said on Friday.

The election authority decided that a party or a coalition which has registered MP candidates from all constituencies but is not entitled to a state subsidy under the Political Parties Act will receive EUR 20,451.68 from the public purse for its media package.

A coalition in which there are parties entitled to a state subsidy under the Political Parties Act will be given public funding for media coverage in proportion to the share of those member parties which are not entitled to a state subsidy.

A nomination committee which has registered MP candidates will be provided with EUR 2,556.46 for its media package.

The funding will come from the state budget and is intended to finance various paid forms of election campaign coverage by providers of mass communication media service, the CEC said.

Overall, media coverage spending may not exceed EUR 1,533,875.64 for a party or a coalition and EUR 102,258.38 for a nomination committee.

On Thursday, the CEC announced that 24 parties and coalitions will run in the elections.