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Political Finance Database

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Belarus

2016

2018

Bans and limits on private income

Public funding

Regulations of spending

Reporting, oversight and sanctions

Question	Value
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties?	Code Yes
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates?	Code Yes
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties?	Code No Comment Ban applies to legal entities, registered less than one year before of granted gift.
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates?	Code No
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties?	Code No
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates?	Code No
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties?	Code Yes
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates?	Code Yes Comment .
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties?	Code No Source Article 24. Limitations in Financing the Political Parties, Unions.Financing of political parties, unions at the expense of funds of republican and (or) local budgets is not allowed.The bodies of the state power and administration, state enterprises, institutions and organizations have no rightof financing the political parties.Political parties, unions and legal entities, created by them are prohibit obtain the funds and other property directlyor indirectly from:- foreign states and organizations, international organizations, foreign citizens and stateless persons;- anonymous charities;- citizens with the age less of eighteen;- legal entities, registered less than one year before of granted gift;- religious organization, and legal entities, formed by religious organizations;Money resources of political party, union can be placed to the accounts of banks and of non-banking financial organizations, both registered in Belarus only.It is prohibit for political parties, unions to keep money resources, precious metals and other valuables in banks,non-banking financial organizations, both situated on the territory of the foreign states.Political parties have no right to obtain any profits from shares and other securities.Any money resources and other properties, received by political parties, unions and legal entities, created by themfrom the sources prohibited by this Article must be confiscated to the state budget in order established by thelegislation. (Source: Legal Acts on Political Parties, No. 3266-XII of Oct 5, 94, 1994) P 11, ' Article 48 [prime] 1 , part 2, 3) allows for voluntary contributions of legal entities. It should be made clear that public or publicly owned legal entities are not included' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates?	Code No Source P 11, ' Article 48 [prime] 1 , part 2, 3) allows for voluntary contributions of legal entities. It should be made clear that public or publicly owned legal entities are not included' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties?	Code Yes Comment Seems to be some kind of ban. Depends on whether the corporation is defined as a "state enterprise". The bodies of the state power and administration, state enterprises, institutions and organizations have no right of financing the political parties Source Article 24. Limitations in Financing the Political Parties, Unions.Financing of political parties, unions at the expense of funds of republican and (or) local budgets is not allowed.The bodies of the state power and administration, state enterprises, institutions and organizations have no rightof financing the political parties.Political parties, unions and legal entities, created by them are prohibit obtain the funds and other property directlyor indirectly from:- foreign states and organizations, international organizations, foreign citizens and stateless persons;- anonymous charities;- citizens with the age less of eighteen;- legal entities, registered less than one year before of granted gift;- religious organization, and legal entities, formed by religious organizations;Money resources of political party, union can be placed to the accounts of banks and of non-banking financial organizations, both registered in Belarus only.It is prohibit for political parties, unions to keep money resources, precious metals and other valuables in banks,non-banking financial organizations, both situated on the territory of the foreign states.Political parties have no right to obtain any profits from shares and other securities.Any money resources and other properties, received by political parties, unions and legal entities, created by themfrom the sources prohibited by this Article must be confiscated to the state budget in order established by thelegislation. (Source: Legal Acts on Political Parties, No. 3266-XII of Oct 5, 94, 1994) P 11, ' Article 48 [prime] 1 , part 2, 3) allows for voluntary contributions of legal entities. It should be made clear that public or publicly owned legal entities are not included' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates?	Code No Source P 11, ' Article 48 [prime] 1 , part 2, 3) allows for voluntary contributions of legal entities. It should be made clear that public or publicly owned legal entities are not included' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate?	Code Yes
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period?	Code No
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit?	Code Not applicable
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election?	Code Yes, for both natural and legal persons Source P 11, 'There are stringent limits on contributions to campaign funds by both individuals and legal entities. Individual persons may contribute no more than 10 ?basic units? to a presidential campaign fund. A basic unit is BR 35,000, so this is a limit of BR 350,000 or approximately 90 EUR. The individual contribution limit for a deputy?s campaign fund is half that amount. The limits for legal entities are not much higher (the equivalent of 270 EUR and 90 EUR for natural and legal persons respectively).' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit?	Code Varies by type of election and donor
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate?	Code Yes, for both natural and legal persons Source P 11, 'There are stringent limits on contributions to campaign funds by both individuals and legal entities. Individual persons may contribute no more than 10 ?basic units? to a presidential campaign fund. A basic unit is BR 35,000, so this is a limit of BR 350,000 or approximately 90 EUR. The individual contribution limit for a deputy?s campaign fund is half that amount. The limits for legal entities are not much higher (the equivalent of 270 EUR and 90 EUR for natural and legal persons respectively).' (Source: Venice Commission & OSCE/ODIHR (2010) Joint Opinion on the Amendments to the Electoral Code of Belarus as of 17 December 2009)
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit?	Code Varies by type of election and donor
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign?
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties?
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates?
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities?
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns?
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes?
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system?

Question	Value
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties?	Code No public funding available Comment Although there used to be public funding for candidates, it was withdrawn with the 2013 amendment of the Electoral Code.
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Not applicable
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding?	Code Not applicable
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)?	Code Not applicable
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Yes
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties?	Code Equal
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates?	Code Yes
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding?	Code Yes Comment Presidential candidates are provided free access to premises for meetings
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates?	Code Not applicable Comment No direct public funding
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties?	Code No

Question	Value
38. Is there a ban on vote buying?	Code Yes
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend?	Code No
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit?	Code Not applicable
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend?	Code Yes
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit?	Code Depends on the type of election
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities?
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns?
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist?

Question	Value
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances?	Code No
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code No
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances?	Code Yes Comment Before and after elections
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances?
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public?	Code No
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors?	Code Sometimes Comment Applies to donations to Presidential and Parliamentary candidates.
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income?
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending?
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates?	Code EMB
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations?	Code Ministry Other
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations?
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions?	Code Deregistration of party Loss of nomination of candidate Suspension of political party Comment blank

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