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Central election commission issues resolution governing individual campaign funds

The central election commission on November 5 adopted a resolution governing the establishment of individual campaign funds by presidential candidates.

Under the resolution, which simply duplicates provisions of the amended Electoral Code, candidates in the election will, for the first time in Belarus' history, be allowed to set up funds to finance their campaigns.

The resolution prohibits contributions by foreign governments, organizations and individuals; international organizations; organizations involving foreign investment; citizens of Belarus who are under 18 years of age; Belarusian governmental agencies; organizations that are partially or fully financed out of the state budget; charity and religious organizations; and anonymous donors.

The amount of an individual campaign fund is limited to 3,000 times the Base Rate, or 105 million rubels ($35,000 at present), with candidates allowed to contribute a maximum of 50 times the Base Rate; other citizens 10 times the Base Rate; and legal entities 30 times the Base Rate.

The money may be used to pay for television and radio airtime, newspaper and magazine ads and consulting and campaigning services, rent buildings and equipment, pay for communications and transport expenses, printed campaign materials, and buy stationery and other goods and services directly connected with the election campaign.

Candidates will be required to explain the purpose of each withdrawal from their campaign funds and return unspent funds to the donors.

Each presidential candidate will receive 2,300 times the Base Rate, currently $27,000, in public funds to pay for campaign materials, and be given a certain amount of television and radio airtime and newspaper space free of charge. //BelaPAN