Parties would like a few million more for themselves: Electoral Reform Committee today on Draft Amendments to the Law on Party Financing

The draft Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns, which is scheduled to be discussed today by the Electoral Reform Committee, envisages an increase in the allocation of money from the budget for parties, as well as more donations from private sources for them, "Vijesti" has learned unofficially.

In a document that the newspaper had access to, it was proposed that 0,8 percent of the budget be allocated for the regular work of parliamentary parties, instead of the previous 0,5 percent of total budget funds, reduced by the capital and state funds budget (current budget).

The current budget for this year amounts to around 1,5 billion euros, of which parties are entitled to 7,55 million (0,5 percent). If allocations are increased to 0,8 percent, parties would receive 12,08 million, or 4,5 million more, according to the current budget.

The document also proposes that a natural person may contribute a maximum of 10.000 euros, and a legal entity a maximum of 40.000 euros annually, for the regular work and financing of election campaigns of a political entity. According to the current law, a natural person can contribute a maximum of 5.000 euros, and a legal entity a maximum of 20.000 euros.

If the Committee agrees on the draft, it will be sent for public debate, and the plan is to adopt it by the end of the spring session of the Assembly, that is, by the last day of July.

A source told Vijesti last week that it seemed to him that all parties were asking for an increase in the amount of money they receive from the budget.

"Everyone is for it, but the question is who will appear 'guilty' in public for asking for it," said another source for the newspaper.

An interlocutor from the strongest ruling party, the Europe Now Movement (PES), claimed that the opposition is seeking an increase in budget allocations and is thereby allegedly conditioning the Committee's further work.

The draft, which "Vijesti" had access to, also states that the budget funds for financing the regular work of political entities in the municipal assembly, the capital city and the royal capital amount (as before) to 1,1 percent of the planned total budget funds, reduced by the capital budget funds (current budget), for the year for which it is adopted.

"Exceptionally, for municipalities whose budget is less than five million euros, the budget funds for financing the regular work of political entities in the municipal assembly amount to 1,1 percent to 3 percent of the planned total budget funds, reduced by capital budget funds (current budget), for the year for which the municipal budget is adopted," the document states.

Different distribution, but "more for everyone"

Instead of the previous 20 percent, it was also proposed that 30 percent of the money from the budget for the regular work of the parties be distributed in equal amounts to all political actors, and that 50 percent, instead of the current 60, be distributed proportionally to the number of mandates won (the remaining 20 percent is distributed, according to the law, in equal amounts proportionally to the number of elected representatives of the underrepresented sex).

The draft that will be before the Committee members today stipulates that the budget funds for financing the regular work of women's organizations in political entities in the Assembly will remain at 0,05 percent of the planned total budget funds. It is also stipulated that 0,25 percent of the current budget (excluding capital and fund budgets) will be allocated for election campaign costs, as before.

Amendments to electoral laws require the support of two-thirds of the total number of MPs (54 out of 81), which means that this process cannot be carried out without the votes of the opposition.

The Electoral Reform Committee resumed work on March 27 after a three-month blockade. At that time, the parliamentary body reached conclusions that a working group meeting should be held by April 9, to which all suggestions on the draft law on party financing would be submitted by then, as well as that NGOs should submit a roadmap that includes the formation of working groups to work on the remaining laws within the framework of electoral reform.

At its meeting on April 24, the working group for drafting the law considered the received suggestions on the current draft, which were submitted by the State Audit Institution, the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, as well as associated members from the non-governmental sector and the academic community.

At that time, as announced by the Parliament, it was agreed that, after harmonizing the proposed norms, the draft law would be sent for public debate.

Today, the Committee will also consider the Committee's Work Plan until the end of 2025, an analysis of the situation in Šavnik "due to the impossibility of holding elections", as well as current issues.

A new non-paper from the European Commission (EC) on Montenegro's progress in chapters 23 (judiciary and fundamental rights) and 24 (justice, freedom, security), published in the media last week, indicates that the legal framework regulating party financing remains burdened with shortcomings in terms of coverage, clarity and implementation.

"The Law on Financing Political Entities and Election Campaigns has not yet been amended to fully comply with European standards, despite Montenegro's obligation to do so as a priority by the end of 2024. In particular, the existing legislation is not in line with the recommendations of GRECO and ODIHR, which require a significant increase in transparency, more effective control of the spending of political party funds, and prevention of the misuse of state resources, including the introduction of dissuasive sanctions," the non-paper states.

It is added that, consequently, the current legal framework still does not provide effective mechanisms for protection against circumvention of the rules, nor effective penalties for their violation.