Third Evaluation Round Second Interim Compliance Report on Cyprus
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European Parliament of 2004 (Law 10(I)/2004) and the Electi<strong>on</strong>s (President and Vice President)<br />
Law of 1982 both include a general cross reference to Law 72/79 so that the above provisi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
also apply to European Parliament and presidential electi<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
22. GRECO takes note of the informati<strong>on</strong> provided. It welcomes the amendments to the PPL and<br />
observes that as far as political parties are c<strong>on</strong>cerned, this part of the recommendati<strong>on</strong> has now<br />
been fully implemented. It notes and regrets however, after careful examinati<strong>on</strong> of the text<br />
provided by the authorities, that in respect of electi<strong>on</strong> candidates, the amendments create an<br />
obligati<strong>on</strong> to disclose all d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s received but not – as it appears from the text – the value of the<br />
d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s and the identity of the d<strong>on</strong>ors.<br />
23. GRECO c<strong>on</strong>cludes that recommendati<strong>on</strong> ii remains partly implemented.<br />
Recommendati<strong>on</strong> iii.<br />
24. GRECO recommended to introduce specific reporting of all income and expenditure relating to<br />
electi<strong>on</strong> campaigns by political parties and electi<strong>on</strong> candidates in respect of all types of electi<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
that such informati<strong>on</strong> should include n<strong>on</strong>-m<strong>on</strong>etary or benefit-in-kind c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>s received by the<br />
party or the candidate and expenditure incurred <strong>on</strong> the party’s or candidate’s behalf and that such<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> should be disclosed to the wider public at appropriate intervals.<br />
25. GRECO recalls that this recommendati<strong>on</strong> was c<strong>on</strong>sidered partly implemented in the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Sec<strong>on</strong>d</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Compliance</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Report</str<strong>on</strong>g> and <str<strong>on</strong>g>Interim</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Compliance</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Report</str<strong>on</strong>g> as the draft amendments to the PPL<br />
addressed several objectives of the recommendati<strong>on</strong>. GRECO also encouraged the authorities to<br />
ensure provisi<strong>on</strong>s for a standardised and c<strong>on</strong>sistent accounting format for electi<strong>on</strong> income and<br />
expenditure. It noted that <strong>Cyprus</strong> had opted for a general disclosure after the electi<strong>on</strong>s as<br />
opposed to disclosure at appropriate intervals during the campaign and stressed the need for<br />
such financial statements to be published in a timely manner.<br />
26. The authorities refer to the informati<strong>on</strong> provided under recommendati<strong>on</strong>s i and ii pertaining to the<br />
amendments to the PPL. As previously menti<strong>on</strong>ed, amended secti<strong>on</strong> 6(1) provides that political<br />
parties participating in any electi<strong>on</strong> are to submit their general financial statements for each<br />
calendar year. These financial statements must comprehensively set out their sources of income<br />
and expenditure, including m<strong>on</strong>etary and in-kind c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>s for electi<strong>on</strong> campaigns and electi<strong>on</strong><br />
campaign expenses. More particularly, according to secti<strong>on</strong> 6A PPL, political parties taking part in<br />
any electi<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>ducted in the Republic are to keep and submit comprehensive statements of<br />
income and expenses related to their campaign. These statements must be submitted to the<br />
Commissi<strong>on</strong>er within 3 m<strong>on</strong>ths following the electi<strong>on</strong>. The Commissi<strong>on</strong>er in turn submits the<br />
statements to the Auditor General within 4 m<strong>on</strong>ths of the date of the electi<strong>on</strong>. The Auditor<br />
General audits the statements and prepares a report <strong>on</strong> the findings of the audit which s/he sends<br />
to the Commissi<strong>on</strong>er and publishes <strong>on</strong> his website and in the Official Gazette within 9 m<strong>on</strong>ths of<br />
the date <strong>on</strong> which the statements were submitted for audit. The Auditor General also publishes<br />
the parties’ statements of electi<strong>on</strong> income and expenses. The political parties themselves are<br />
also required to publish such statements <strong>on</strong> their own websites. A timeframe in which the parties<br />
must publish their statements is not provided for. The parties’ general financial statements are<br />
uploaded <strong>on</strong> their websites and published in the Official Gazette by the Commissi<strong>on</strong>er. In relati<strong>on</strong><br />
to electi<strong>on</strong> candidates, the authorities submit that under Secti<strong>on</strong> 52(1) the aforementi<strong>on</strong>ed<br />
“Electoral Expenses <str<strong>on</strong>g>Report</str<strong>on</strong>g>” must c<strong>on</strong>tain all d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>s received by the candidates and all<br />
expenses made by the candidate or his/her electoral representative <strong>on</strong> his/her behalf. Any<br />
payment made by the candidate or the representative must be supported by an invoice or a<br />
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