§ Article 27(untitled)

Use of means of campaign fund

1. For the purpose of funding the conduct of an election campaign through the

 mass media, renting of halls, premises for organising election gatherings and

 meetings with electors (except for election campaign offices), preparing

 (placing), acquiring a campaign poster, printed campaign and other materials,

 preparing all types of campaign materials (including printed materials) to be

 provided to electors, the candidates, political parties running in elections shall

 only use means of the campaign fund. The maximum amount of expenditures

 made from a campaign fund for this purpose shall be prescribed by this Code.

2. Where the goods and services described in part 1 of this Article were provided

 gratuitously or at a price lower than the market value or acquired prior to

 formation of the campaign fund, they shall be included in the expenditures of the

 campaign fund at their market value.

3. Where it is specified in the conclusion of the Oversight and Audit Service that the

 good or service rendered for the purposes prescribed by part 1 of this Article for

 an election campaign has not been included in the expenditures of the campaign

 fund at its market value, the Central Electoral Commission shall institute

 administrative proceedings. Where the results of the instituted proceedings

 confirm the information specified in the conclusion of the Oversight and Audit

 Service, it shall impose an administrative penalty on the candidate, political party

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 running in elections in the amount of 3-fold of the expenditures not included in

 the fund expenditures.

4. Where it is substantiated that the expenditures made for the election campaign

 of a candidate, political party running in elections have exceeded the maximum

 amount of expenditures prescribed by this Code, incurred for the purposes

 prescribed by part 1 of this Article, the Central Electoral Commission shall

 institute administrative proceedings, and where the results of the instituted

 proceedings confirm the information specified in the conclusion of the Oversight

 and Audit Service, it shall impose a fine on the candidate, political party running

 in elections in the amount of 3-fold of the sum exceeding the maximum amount

 of the fund prescribed by this Code.

5. Where the difference between the amount spent for the purposes prescribed by

 part 1 of this Article for an election campaign and the amount of the fine paid to

 the State Budget prescribed by parts 3 and 4 of this Article, and the maximum

 amount of the campaign fund prescribed by this Code exceeds 20 per cent of the

 maximum amount of the campaign fund prescribed by this Code, the court shall,

 on the basis of the application of the electoral commission, revoke the

 registration of the candidate, the electoral list of the political party running in

 elections.

6. In case of failure to transfer the amounts prescribed by this Article to the State

 Budget within a 5-day period after the decision of the electoral commission or

 failure to appeal against the decision of the electoral commission through judicial

 procedure within the same time limit, the electoral commission shall levy the

 mentioned amount through judicial procedure.

7. All operations with the accounts of campaign funds shall be terminated as of the

 voting day.

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8. Based on the application of candidates, political parties running in elections, the

 Central Electoral Commission shall allow making payments from the fund after

 the voting day as well, but only for transactions carried out before the voting day.

9. After the election, the means remaining in the campaign fund shall — within

 a 3-month period following the official announcement of election results — be

 used for charitable purposes at the discretion of the candidate, political party

 running in elections. After the expiry of the 3-month period, the means

 remaining in the campaign fund shall be transferred to the State Budget.

10. In the cases of declaring elections not having taken place or declaring elections

 invalid or calling new regular or new elections, the means remaining in the

 campaign fund shall be frozen until candidates, electoral lists of political parties

 running in elections are registered for the new regular or new elections. In case

 of new regular or new elections, candidates, political parties running in elections

 may use the means remaining in their campaign funds.

11. The means remaining in campaign funds of the candidates, political parties

 running in elections which do not run in the new regular or new elections shall —

 within a 3-month period — be used for charitable purposes at the discretion of

 the candidate, the political party running in elections. After the expiry of the

 3-month period, the means remaining in the campaign fund shall be transferred

 to the State Budget.

12. Provisions of this Article shall also apply during the second round of election of

 the National Assembly.