Interior Ministry Wants State Contributions Paid Only to Parliamentary Parties

Bratislava, 22 May (TASR) - The Interior Ministry is proposing that only those political parties that make it into parliament after a general election should receive a contribution from the state, said Interior Minister and Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok on Thursday, adding that a debate on the issue is just beginning and that the proposal will undergo a standard inter-departmental review. Parties could also have their contribution reduced by 30 percent if the general government deficit is equal to or higher than 3 percent of GDP. The Interior Ministry also suggests increasing election deposits. Parties running in a general election would have to pay €50,000 instead of the current €17,000, while those running in the EP elections would pay €25,000 instead of the current €1,700. In addition, parties would not be able to change their names or acronyms for five years. "We propose that political parties should receive less money in times of adversity, with contributions to them being cut by 30 percent," said Sutaj Estok, adding that this rule would apply only after the amendment takes effect, not retroactively. "We've estimated that the state might save €32 million over three years in this way," said the minister. Only parliamentary parties would be eligible for the state contribution, so the threshold for gaining any such money would be increased from the current 3 to 5 percent of votes in a general election. Sutaj Estok doesn't view increasing the threshold for parties to make it into parliament from 5 to 7 percent as a very good idea, but he is open to debate. Concerning increases in election deposits, the minister isn't concerned that the change would favour parties that have oligarchs behind them. According to him, the ministry is preparing a law on lobbying in this connection. He called it standard democratisation of a political system. By banning parties from changing their names or acronyms for five years after registration or the most-recent change, the ministry wants to prevent so-called party trading, via which some entities buy a party and rename it instead of collecting the necessary signatures to found a new party. The draft should be submitted for inter-departmental review next week. Sutaj Estok said that Voice-SD is willing to discuss changes presented by Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Wednesday (21 May). According to Voice-SD, politicians should participate in consolidation as well. The party is also ready for a debate on the number of ministries or need for some authorities, such as the Anti-monopoly Office or the Public Procurement Office. ko/df