User:Lpravda/Draft:Party funding in Moldova

The issue of party funding is a contentious topic in Moldova, as it is in many other countries from the former communist bloc. In recent years, the lack of transparency and accountability in the country's legal framework for party financing has been a significant cause for concern. Political parties in Moldova receive funding from both public financing and private donations, which has raised concerns about the potential for private interests to unduly influence political parties.

Overview
Public financing is provided to political parties that meet specific criteria, including being registered with the Central Election Commission, having a minimum of 1000 members, complying with the law, and submitting regular financial reports and audits to the authorities. Political parties must also have a specific percentage of votes in the previous election to be eligible for public financing. In addition to public financing, political parties in Moldova are allowed to receive private funding from individuals and businesses. However, there are concerns about the transparency of private funding and the potential for private interests to influence political parties.

Law on Political Parties
To address concerns, Moldova passed a Law on Political Parties in 2016 that introduced reforms aimed at increasing transparency in party financing. The law requires political parties to disclose the names and addresses of individuals and businesses that donate more than 50,000 Moldovan lei per year and to report any donations that exceed 1% of the annual income of the party. While this is a positive step, there is still a lack of transparency in party financing in Moldova, and more needs to be done to ensure that all political parties are operating in an open and accountable manner.

The issue of political funding in Moldova is particularly important during campaigns for parliamentary elections. The maximum amount of state funding that political parties are eligible for during a campaign is determined by the number of votes they received in the previous election. According to the Law on Political Parties, political parties are not allowed to spend more than 5% of the maximum amount of state funding they are eligible for during a campaign. This regulation is aimed at ensuring that political parties do not overspend during election campaigns and that they do not rely solely on public funding.

In a given fiscal year, a legal person's contributions to one or multiple political parties should not exceed the equivalent of 12 average monthly salaries per economy for that year. If a legal person provides monetary donations to a political party, it is required to furnish proof of approval by its authorized bodies, document the donation, include it in its financial statements, and notify its shareholders or members about the transaction.

However, despite these regulations, the political landscape in Moldova is still subject to a lack of transparency, and there is a need for a stronger apparatus to ensure that the laws are adhered to by everyone. In recent years, there have been allegations of corruption in Moldova's political system, with some political parties accused of accepting donations from businesses in exchange for political favours. This has led to concerns about the potential for private interests to unduly influence political parties and the political process.

Central Election Commission
The Central Election Commission in Moldova is responsible for overseeing the country's elections and ensuring their fairness and transparency. The commission is composed of nine members who are appointed by the Parliament of Moldova for a term of five years.

The CEC's main functions include the registration of political parties and candidates, the establishment of voting procedures and regulations, the organization and supervision of the electoral process, and the publication of election results. The commission is also responsible for monitoring the financing of political parties and campaigns and ensuring that they comply with the legal framework for party financing.

In addition to its role in organizing and supervising elections, the CEC also plays a crucial role in the resolution of electoral disputes. It receives and reviews complaints related to electoral irregularities and makes decisions on the validity of election results.

Conclusion
Political funding in Moldova is an essential aspect of campaign finance that affects the transparency and accountability of the political process. While the introduction of the Law on Political Parties has introduced some reforms aimed at increasing transparency in party financing, more needs to be done to ensure that all political parties in Moldova are operating in an open and accountable manner.