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€10.5 mn to parties in 2016

12/11/2015 10:35
Parliamentary parties will share an amount of €10.5 mn in state sponsorship in 2016 compared to €7.1 mn they received in 2015.

These amounts include the cost of employment of the dozens of associates, which as known, is borne by taxpayers.

Yesterday, the general director of the parliament Vasiliki Anastasiadou, said during the presentation of the budget of the House that the state funding of political parties for 2016 is increased due to the elections and because it will cover the number of additional parliamentary partners for parties.

At the parliament, 69 partners are currently working on behalf of parties and MPs. The cost of their remuneration is borne by the state and amounts to € 2,7 mn annually.

As estimated, the recruitment of eighteen new parliamentary associates will burden the budget with €500 thousand a year, increasing the total amount of expenditure to cover parliamentary associates’ payroll to € 3,2 mn per year.

According to the general director of the parliament, apart from the amount regarding the operating cost of political parties, an increased amount was included which is attributable to the increased sponsorship given to parties due to elections.

Political parties are planning to change the way of sharing the state sponsorship for major parties to receive larger amounts.

Today 22% of the state sponsorship is distributed horizontally and 78% proportionally. The total amount is decided by the Cabinet.

According to the Financial Management Service of the parliament, the government sponsorship to the seven parliamentary parties amounted to € 4,1 mn in 2015, remaining the same since 2012.

In 2015 a sponsorship for the Citizens’ Alliance was added due to the admission of the party in parliament.

In 2011, which was also the year of parliamentary elections, the state subsidy for parties amounted to €7 mn. This amount does not include the cost of employment of parliamentary associates for MPs.

For 2015, the largest amount of state subsidy was directed to bigger parties DISY and AKEL which received €1,22 mn and €1,17 mn respectively.

DIKO received a sponsorship of €639,6 thousand and EDEK received € 426,6 thousand. The European Party received €269,2 thousand, the Ecologists € 217,1 thousand and €148,2 went to the Citizens’ Alliance.

Despite the generosity of taxpayers, parties do not communicate sufficient information on the use of this money or other income from contributions and other activities.