BRATISLAVA, January 12, (WEBNOVINY) — Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic (KDH) thinks that financing of political parties should be overseen by an independent body outside parliament. In his opinion, it is necessary to discuss whether it should be the Supreme Audit Office or a new institution. Creating a new institution is not an ideal solution as there is enough of those already, he says; however, deputies of parliamentary parties should not be in charge of control of financing of parliamentary parties, he said, adding that as of this month a working group will meet to prepare a new model of financing political parties. “It will solve the issue of more intense, more transparent and more independent control of financing of political parties,” stated Lipsic.
The law on political parties is in the competence of the Finance Ministry of the Slovak Republic. “It is open, we are discussing about this and all other possibilities as well as about how to increase the control and make it more effective. Personally, I do not think that it would be a good solution to lower the overall contribution as it would raise the risk of corruption and various non-transparent ways of financing. So it is not only the issue of volume and structure,” said Finance Minister Ivan Miklos.
According to the Interior Minister, if the parties get less money from the state budget, they could try to acquire resources also in an dishonest and illegal way. “That is why I would think twice about lowering the state contribution for operation of political parties. Because, if it is decreased, the political parties will, unfortunately, have a big motivation to compensate for the shortage of money, often from illegal sources. And that is far greater risk and the state could lose more money on this,” he opined. In his opinion, it could be done through manipulated tenders.
SITA