Parties spend almost RON 200 million in first six months of 2024

  Between January and June 2024, the Standing Electoral Authority (AEP) paid RON 133 million to six political parties, when these parties spent RON 198 million, which is almost 150% the public subsidies, according to a monitoring report released on Wednesday by Expert Forum (EFOR).The report reveals that the Social Democratic Party (PSD) received RON 52.1 million; the National Liberal Party ( PNL) RON 44.1 million; the Save Romania Union (USR) RON 23.8 million lei; the People's Party Movement (PMP) RON 445,000 (starting only with June); the Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR) RON 10.5 million, and Pro Romania RON 1.9 million.The highest expenses were recorded in April - RON 56 million (28%), and March - RON 35 million lei (18%). Expenditures of RON 32 million were reported in May and RON 27 million in June. Expert Forum says that during the electoral campaign spending was down, but the parties spent a lot in the pre-campaign, and that the funds are not included in the reports for the electoral campaigning, as it is about financing the current activity of the parties.The organisation also says that the parties continued to allocate significant amounts of money for self-promotion or the promotion of members at the same time with campaigning. The parties spent RON 34 million for self-promotion (press and propaganda/advertising spots) in May and June, says Expert Forum, adding that it is not known exactly what are specific expenses are for May 10 - June 8, the time for electioneering, but only those for the full period of two months.Parties can spend the public subsidies on self-promotion (political advertising - anytime) or on promoting an electoral competitor (electoral advertising - during electoral campaigns). Unlike the campaign period, the rules on how political parties can promote themselves outside of it are relatively limited.For the June elections, PNL is the party with the highest electoral expenditures form public subsidies. In the European election, PNL declared RON 26 million in subsidies plus RON 1.3 million lei for local elections. In addition, in May and June, PNL's expenses on media and propaganda (current expenses of the party) neared RON 14 million in addition to those of the campaign. According to the AEP, campaign expenses are not reported in the monthly statements, which cover only the current activity of the parties.In addition to campaigning expenses, all parties spent significant amounts on media and propaganda - RON 33 million lei current expenses in May and June.EFOR says that the legislation on electoral campaigning and that on funding electioneering and political parties are deficient and encourages a lack of transparency by shifting a part of the expenses in the pre-campaign period, with much more relaxed requirements than those during campaigning. One of the reasons is the fact that the campaigning period is very limited in terms of means of promotion: practically all banner or billboard materials that can be used at any time outside campaigning are banned during campaigning."In the case of the campaign to promote Nicolae Ciuca's book, even if he was not a candidate and PNL is not mentioned as such on the poster, it cannot be denied that the campaign to promote the party national leader also had an impact on the summer elections. It is hard to believe that it was just advertising for a book (which did not even exist at that time and we do not know if it exists) and it is clear that it had a role of indirect promotion of PNL, namely launching Nicolae Ciuca as a presidential candidate, a fact also recognised by liberal leaders. In short, it is difficult to imagine that a party spends EUR 2 million to promote a book if it has no interest in electoral promotion," says Expert Forum.