Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has set the spending limit per candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections at €25,000 plus an additional €5,000 for personal expenses, interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia said on Tuesday. He said exceeding the legal limits results in a fine equal to the amount of the excess.
Spending limit and enforcement
Elia said the formal spending limit covers the period from three months prior to the elections until election day on May 24, with the period officially beginning Tuesday.
Guidance to parties and candidates
Elia said parties, including new ones, were informed by the interior ministry in December and instructed to inform their candidates accordingly.
Funding rules and parliamentary allocations
An interior ministry source told the Cyprus Mail that the ministry does not provide funding, but sets a limit on the funding parties are legally allowed to use for electoral campaigning. Parties with elected seats in parliament can pay such costs through parliamentary funds allocated according to their seats.
Reporting requirements
Elia said each candidate is required by law to appoint an election agent, who may be the candidate, and to submit a declaration of election expenses covering amounts spent during the pre-election period. He added that the report must be published in two daily newspapers or on the candidate’s website.
Transparency objective and party registry
Elia said the measures aim to ensure transparency and accountability in the financing and spending of election campaigns by parliamentary candidates and political parties. Elections Service head Menelaos Vasiliou said 26 parties are currently listed in the Republic’s party registry, with three others in the process of being approved.
How will candidates and parties ensure compliance with the spending limits and reporting requirements?