Opening the Conference “Financing of the political parties and campaigns”, the Head of the EU Delegation, Aivo Orav, pointed at the importance of strengthening the rule of law and the transparency in financing political parties.
“The identified shortcomings in the existing legal framework on financing of political entities still need to be addressed, including those identified by ODIHR. Judicial follow-up of the alleged misuse of public funds for party purposes also needs to be ensured,” specified Orav.
The British Ambassador, Alison Kemp, underlined that political parties need adequate funding if they are to fulfil their primary goal. “It is essential that the political parties obtain their funding in a way which is free from suspicion. Failure to ensure transparent party financing undermines the democracy,” highlighted Kemp.
The Executive Director of the Network for Affirmation of NGO Sector (MANS), Vanja Calovic Markovic, emphasised that the party financing in Montenegro is a complex problem.
“Every time, during the election cycle, the political entities found a way to avoid implementing the law and new and creative mechanisms for illegal financing. They are doing everything to hide the money flows. We have the Agency, which is a whip in the Democratic Party of Socialists’ (DPS) hands,” explained Calovic Markovic.
The Democratic Party of Socialists MP, Branko Cavor, asserted that the DPS hasn’t violated the law, stressing that the “Envelope Affair” was an exception. The official of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA), Dusan Drakic, announced that the ACA’s report in DPS’s case will be published after the Prosecution completes the proceedings.