Published: 15.01.2009.

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau has published the maximum amount which a political party cannot exceed for expenditures incurred during the pre-election period starting from 7 February till 6 June 2009 – the day of local government and European Parliament elections in Latvia.

The maximum amount for European Parliament elections cannot exceed 88 990,97 lats (approximately 127 000 euros) or 5,97 santims per voter (approximately 0,09 euros), but for local government elections – 31,84 santims per voter at the previous election of the respective local government council.

For example, at the Riga City Council elections the spending limit will be 122 368,12 lats (approximately 175 000 euros), for all nine republic cities together – 204 877,66 lats (approximately 293 000 euros), for all local governments together –450 558,61 lats (approximately 643 655 euros).

According to the Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties) starting from the time period from day 120 before the election up to the date of the election the pre-election expenditure limits apply to the following types of expenditures:

  1. placement of advertising;
  2. using of mail services (including electronic mail) for distribution of pre-election campaigning materials;
  3. financing of charity events connected to the election campaign, paying benefits and making gifts (donations).

Respectively, the limits do not apply to the following pre-election expenditures:

  • production of all kinds of advertising materials;
  • planning, preparation and organisation of the election campaign;
  • salaries to persons involved in the election campaign and other payments to natural persons;
  • renting moveable property and real property for the needs of the election campaign;
  • publishing newspapers, magazines, bulletins, books and other publications produced in print technology for the needs of the election campaign;
  • other expenditures arising from the election campaign, which shall be disclosed as separate items.

As compared with the previous elections, political parties were allowed to spend at maximum 20 santims (0,28 euros) per one voter. Moreover, this limit applied to all pre-election expenditures.

KNAB has prepared an informative report on amounts of pre-election expenditures available in Latvian language on our homepage.