MANS: Advertising on Pink again without a price list, a huge space for hidden financing from abroad

Political marketing blocks have been broadcast on Pink M Television for several days, but it is not known at what price political parties rent that space and whether the conditions are equal for all election participants, the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector (MANS) announced.

"Thanks to the position taken by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ASK) during the campaign for the last parliamentary elections in 2020, political parties once again have the opportunity to advertise on Pink M television, at prices and conditions that are not available to the public. "On this television For several days now, blocks of political marketing lasting about three minutes have been broadcast every hour for several days, but it is not known at what price the political parties rent that space and whether the conditions are the same for all participants in the election, because there is no price list on the ASK website. refers to the lease of media space on that television," MANS announced.

They said that such a practice, bearing in mind that it is a television station registered outside of Montenegro, opens "a huge space for hidden financing from abroad".

"During the 2020 elections, advertising space on Pink M political parties was sold by the company 'Pink Media M'. After MANS reported that it did not do so in accordance with the law and the price list, the ASK's position was that this company was neither obliged to publish the price list of ads, because according to their interpretation, it does not provide media advertising services.

"Instead of determining that it was undoubtedly the sale of media space for advertising political parties in the election campaign, ASK dealt with determining whether the company that sold them that advertising space was itself a media outlet," MANS added.

They said that such decisions of the KAS represent an "arbitrary and harmful" interpretation of legal norms that directly affects the transparency of the financing of election campaigns, and that it is certain that they will have their impact when it comes to the upcoming local elections.

"Namely, political parties are now advertised on Pink M television without any hindrance, and without a published price list there is no obligation to offer the same prices and advertising conditions to all political subjects," MANS points out.

They said that the monitoring of advertising for local elections, which is carried out by that NGO, shows that for now the lists "Za Budućnost Crne Gora", led by the Democratic Front, and the list "Let's Go People", led by Democratic Montenegro, are being advertised on Pink M television.

"In order to ensure full compliance with the laws that regulate the financing of election campaigns, MANS will again submit an application to the KAS and the Council of that institution with a request to revise the position that now directly contributes to the creation of a huge space for manipulations and illegal financing of elections," the statement concludes. .