Starting July 2015, elections will be organised according to new rules passed the parliament on May 29. The “election codes” proposed by the Interior Ministry led by Robert Kaliňák should be signed by president and then become effective as of July 1, 2015.
The financing of the election campaigns will be limited to €3 million, the Sme daily wrote on its website. A presidential candidate will be allowed to spend €500,000; as will the candidates in regional and communal elections.
A 14-member State Committee will oversee the elections and the campaigning, with 10 members being appointed by political parties – five by ruling coalition and five the by opposition – and the chair of the Constitutional Court, of the Supreme Court, general prosecutor and head of the Supreme Audit Office will be allowed to propose one member each. The committee will impose fines for violations of the law.
Parties and candidates will have an obligatory transparent account for the elections. Buying of votes will be punished, as well as “stealing” the name of another party shortly before it is to be registered. Election moratorium of 48 hours is introduced for all types of elections; and two weeks before the elections there is a ban on publishing results from public opinion polls. In case the election has two rounds, this will be effective two weeks before the first round and one week before the second.
Candidates for mayor will have to graduate from at least a secondary school, and this rule will become effective already in this autumn’s communal election.
(Source: Sme)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
