In spite of the initial resistance, the Saeima is moving forward with a stricter approach against the illegal financing of parties / Article

Currently, the Criminal Law provides for criminal liability in cases where a party is illegally financed in the amount of 50 minimum monthly wages or 35,000 euros. Only administrative liability is provided for a smaller amount.

However, it is proposed to reduce the threshold of illegal financing, from which criminal liability arises, to the amount of ten minimum monthly salaries, or 7,000 euros.

Initially, this idea was not supported in the Legal Commission of the Saeima, but a week later the deputies returned to this issue, and with the second round, the majority of the commission supported the changes in principle.

In the opinion of the Ministry of Justice, the changes would eliminate the receipt of dishonest funding for political parties, as the threshold for illegal funding, which is currently defined in the Criminal Law, from which criminal liability arises, is too high for persons to be held criminally liable. In addition, it is not uncommon for several persons to contribute sums of money separately without reaching the specified amount, and it is difficult for the controlling authority to prove that the said persons have acted in a group with a common intention.

At the same time, it is planned to exclude from the Criminal Law the responsibility for mediation in the illegal financing of the party. The annotation of the draft law explains that in this case mediation, for example bringing together the donor and recipient of funding, participation in negotiations on the amount of funding, ensuring favorable conditions for funding and organizational activities, has been qualified as a party in illegal financing or acceptance of financing, for which liability is provided for in the Criminal Law. Moreover, it is not possible to separate the intermediary from the financier.

In the vote of the first reading of the Saeima, 77 deputies supported the changes, while 11, mostly from the “Stability!” party, opposed them. In order for the amendments to enter into force, they must be supported by the majority of the Saeima in the 2nd and 3rd readings as well.

CONTEXT:

The issue of stricter action against illegal financing of parties was brought up by the investigation of the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) regarding the financing schemes of the party “Latvijas vysvetskai” (LA). “Re:Baltica” wrote about it.

In the LTV program “De facto”, it was said that the Ministry of Justice had already prepared the regulation on the criminalization of a lower threshold for illegal donations, but it stood without progress for several months.

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