Bosnian parties spending millions

The leading parliamentary parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina spend millions of euros of tax payers’ money every year. Sarajevo daily Dnevni Avaz writes that in the last two years alone, parliamentary parties have received more than EUR 10mn from the state budget. Bosnian parties spending millions The law states that parliamentary parties are financed from the Bosnia-Herzegovina budget, from funding to parliamentary groups, and from the budgets of the entities and lower federal units. Reports by Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Central Electoral Committee (CIK BiH) from 2005 and 2006 show that the funds for financing political parties increase year in year out. According to the report for 2005, the Party for Democratic Action (SDA) received EUR 1.8mn, while the previous year it received EUR 1.5mn. Milorad Dodik’s Alliance of Independent Social Democrats received EUR 986,000 in 2006, while in 2005 it received EUR 639,220. Mladen Ivanic’s Party of Democratic Progress received EUR 400,000 from the 2006 budget, while in 2005 that figure was EUR 199,400. The Croatian Democratic Alliance (HDZ) for Bosnia-Herzegovina received EUR 887,900 from the 2006 budget, while in 2005 it received EUR 703,900. The Bosnian Social Democratic Party (SDB BiH), despite only being an opposition party, received EUR 1.1mn in 2004, while Zlatko Lagumdzija’s party received EUR 1mn. Transparency International spokesman for Bosnia-Herzegovina Srdjan Blagovcanin said that the NGO was conducting a broad study to establish the sources of the money, used for financing the political parties. He said that the results of the study would be published before the elections, adding that although the parties had been receiving large sums of money their reports failed to reflect the real amounts. Blagovcanin said that the Bosnian branch of Transparency International faced many problems in obtaining information about state financing of political parties.

Bosnian parties spending millions

The law states that parliamentary parties are financed from the Bosnia-Herzegovina budget, from funding to parliamentary groups, and from the budgets of the entities and lower federal units.

Reports by Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Central Electoral Committee (CIK BiH) from 2005 and 2006 show that the funds for financing political parties increase year in year out.

According to the report for 2005, the Party for Democratic Action (SDA) received EUR 1.8mn, while the previous year it received EUR 1.5mn.

Milorad Dodik’s Alliance of Independent Social Democrats received EUR 986,000 in 2006, while in 2005 it received EUR 639,220.

Mladen Ivanić’s Party of Democratic Progress received EUR 400,000 from the 2006 budget, while in 2005 that figure was EUR 199,400.

The Croatian Democratic Alliance (HDZ) for Bosnia-Herzegovina received EUR 887,900 from the 2006 budget, while in 2005 it received EUR 703,900.

The Bosnian Social Democratic Party (SDB BiH), despite only being an opposition party, received EUR 1.1mn in 2004, while Zlatko Lagumdžija’s party received EUR 1mn.

Transparency International spokesman for Bosnia-Herzegovina Srđan Blagovčanin said that the NGO was conducting a broad study to establish the sources of the money, used for financing the political parties.

He said that the results of the study would be published before the elections, adding that although the parties had been receiving large sums of money their reports failed to reflect the real amounts.

Blagovčanin said that the Bosnian branch of Transparency International faced many problems in obtaining information about state financing of political parties.