E-reporting on political finance focus of OSCE/ODIHR expert meeting in Vilnius

E-reporting mechanisms for political finance were at the centre of discussions during an expert meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in partnership with Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on 12 April 2018 in Vilnius.

The meeting was convened at the request of political finance oversight agencies from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. It aimed to facilitate a discussion on the e-reporting mechanisms for political finance adopted in the Baltic region. Representatives from political finance oversight agencies of Georgia, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States also participated in the exchange of good practices in this area.

“The adoption of e-reporting platforms for political parties can greatly strengthen their transparency and accountability,” said Marcin Walecki, Head of the ODIHR Democratization Department. “By bringing together the leading political finance oversight agencies, this event enhances regional co-operation towards greater transparency on the role of money in politics.”

Laura Matjošaitytė, the CEC Chairperson, said: “Financial transparency of political parties and their campaigns reduces the risk of unreliability and may increase public trust in government. The digitalization of government institutions and political parties has significantly expanded the potential to use digital solutions to enhance transparency.”

The experts analysed challenges and future plans related to the creation of e-reporting systems, their compliance with existing regulations, and increasing transparency by making data public via online platforms.