FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

Experiences in Financing of Political Parties – Guidelines for Serbia

Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID) has commenced the realization of the project “Experiences in Financing of Political Parties – Guidelines for Serbia ”. The project is being carried out with the support of the Fund for an Open Society, Belgrade . The objective of the project is to improve the regulations that control the financing of political parties, the improvement of the capacities of bodies in charge of their enforcement and to create a social atmosphere favourable to raising the level of transparency in the field of financing of political parties.

The financing of political parties represents a sphere where corruption is a very frequent occurrence since in that sphere economic capital and political power meet. Even democratic systems with a long tradition are not immune to corruption, and the states undergoing the process of transition are burdened with additional risk factors. Hence, transparent and controlled financing of political parties is one of the basic instruments of the fight against corruption in countries in transition.

In order to achieve the set objectives the project “Experiences in Financing of Political Parties – Guidelines for Serbia ” envisages:

• Conducting public debates on different segments of the financing of political parties (financing parties from public and private sources, control of financing of political parties, participation of third subjects in campaigns of political parties);

• Publishing of recommendations for the improvement of the system of financing of political parties;

• Seminars for representatives of the authorities and journalists;

• Lectures at faculties throughout Serbia.

The project “Experiences in Financing of Political Parties – Guidelines for Serbia ” represents a continuation of the activities carried out by CeSID for the identification of key problems within the enforcement of the Law on Financing of Political Parties supported by the Fund for an Open Society, Belgrade . The results of this project are compiled in two publications:

• Monitoring of Financing of Political Parties.
  Report on Financing of Pre-elections Campaigns for the Election of Councilors in the City Assembly of Belgrade and the Mayor of the City of Belgrade, September 19th- October 3rd 2004

• Comments on the Law on Financing of Political Parties and Recommendations for the Improvement of the Law