Newsroom
Electoral rule on campaign financing in Kosovo
PRISTINA 8 August 2000
PRISTINA, 8 August 2000 - The Central Elections Commission has adopted the Electoral Rule governing campaign financing for the forthcoming municipal elections in Kosovo.
The rule, which applies to all those contesting the elections - political parties, coalitions, citizens initiatives as well as independent candidates - obliges contestants to disclose donations received in excess of 1,000 DEM and puts a ceiling on the amount of money they may spend on their election campaigns.
The rule imposes a campaign spending limit of 1 DEM per voter in the municipality in which the political party, coalition, citizens initiative or independent candidate is running for the assembly on the amount of money they may spend on their election campaign. Campaign expenditure refers to any costs they incur for the purpose of generating publicity materials designed to influence how voters vote in the election. These materials could include, for example, newspaper advertisements, broadcast spots, pamphlets, posters, buttons and billboards.
The number of registered voters in each municipality - in other words, the electorate - will be determined by the Joint Registration Task Force (JRT) based on the voter list as it stands 50 days before the election. The cap on campaign expenditure will apply during the 45 days in the run-up to the actual day of the election, the date for which will be set by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Dr. Bernard Kouchner.
The Electoral Rule also requires all certified political parties, coalitions, citizens initiatives, and independent candidates to file disclosure reports to the Central Election Commission on how much money they had at their disposal to mount their election campaigns as well as how much they actually spent.
In the reports, contestants are obliged to declare all cash on hand as well as all income based on membership fees; cash donations they received both from within Kosovo and from abroad - as well as contributions made in the form of goods and services. If the cash or in-kind contribution is worth more than 1,000 DEM they must also identify the source.
In addition, once the local elections are over, all political parties, coalitions, citizens initiaitives and independent candidates who contested them must file separate campaign spending reports to the Central Election Commission, declaring all outstanding bills due and the total amount of money
already paid out by them during their entire election campaign.
Breaches of the Electoral Rule by any certified political entity - all of which must appoint a designated person to take charge of filing the financial reports to the CEC - will be referred to the Election Complaints and Appeals Sub-Commission.
The OSCE Department of Election Operations, which will keep all the financial reports on file, will start making them available to the public from 24 August 2000.
For information, contact Roland Bless, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Tel: (+381-38) 500-162 or satphone: 871-762-009-948 ext. 260 / mobile: (+389-70) 250-576 / email: press@omik.org; website: //www.osce.org/kosovo/
The rule, which applies to all those contesting the elections - political parties, coalitions, citizens initiatives as well as independent candidates - obliges contestants to disclose donations received in excess of 1,000 DEM and puts a ceiling on the amount of money they may spend on their election campaigns.
The rule imposes a campaign spending limit of 1 DEM per voter in the municipality in which the political party, coalition, citizens initiative or independent candidate is running for the assembly on the amount of money they may spend on their election campaign. Campaign expenditure refers to any costs they incur for the purpose of generating publicity materials designed to influence how voters vote in the election. These materials could include, for example, newspaper advertisements, broadcast spots, pamphlets, posters, buttons and billboards.
The number of registered voters in each municipality - in other words, the electorate - will be determined by the Joint Registration Task Force (JRT) based on the voter list as it stands 50 days before the election. The cap on campaign expenditure will apply during the 45 days in the run-up to the actual day of the election, the date for which will be set by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Dr. Bernard Kouchner.
The Electoral Rule also requires all certified political parties, coalitions, citizens initiatives, and independent candidates to file disclosure reports to the Central Election Commission on how much money they had at their disposal to mount their election campaigns as well as how much they actually spent.
In the reports, contestants are obliged to declare all cash on hand as well as all income based on membership fees; cash donations they received both from within Kosovo and from abroad - as well as contributions made in the form of goods and services. If the cash or in-kind contribution is worth more than 1,000 DEM they must also identify the source.
In addition, once the local elections are over, all political parties, coalitions, citizens initiaitives and independent candidates who contested them must file separate campaign spending reports to the Central Election Commission, declaring all outstanding bills due and the total amount of money
already paid out by them during their entire election campaign.
Breaches of the Electoral Rule by any certified political entity - all of which must appoint a designated person to take charge of filing the financial reports to the CEC - will be referred to the Election Complaints and Appeals Sub-Commission.
The OSCE Department of Election Operations, which will keep all the financial reports on file, will start making them available to the public from 24 August 2000.
For information, contact Roland Bless, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Tel: (+381-38) 500-162 or satphone: 871-762-009-948 ext. 260 / mobile: (+389-70) 250-576 / email: press@omik.org; website: //www.osce.org/kosovo/