Eight out of ten parties approached by Transparency International Slovakia (TIS), the Slovak Governance Institute (SGI) and the Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO) committed themselves to drafting and backing measures leading to more transparency in party funding, TI director Gabriel Šípoš said at a press conference on February 15, the TASR newswire reported.
"The seven parties are the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK), the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), Most-Híd, Ordinary People, 99 Percent, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) with Smer agreeing with the pledge but refusing to sign it," Šípo stated, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The pledge was signed later that day by Smer, TASR was told by TIS.
The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) defended its decision not to sign the pledge by claiming technical problems in the pledge while the Slovak National Party (SNS) claimed that it does not view the initiative's organisers as trustworthy.
Šípoš said that the initiative contains seven measures, six of which have been recommended by the Council of Europe. They include setting up an independent institution to supervise the financing of political parties and apply stricter rules concerning politicians' property declarations. The pledge also includes a rule whereby the level of state contribution to a party could not be higher than the total resources parties receive from contributors.
TI said the parties signing the pledge have committed themselves to achieving the proposed measures but TI stressed that it is important that they be put into specific legislation.
Source: TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
