Elections: Candidates face financial punishment for pulling out of race
A constituency election commission considers statement from the candidates that withdraw from elections. If the commission finds the reasons for withdrawal to be unserious, it will decide whether to seek financial compensation from this candidate or not. Additionally, such a candidate would also have to refund part of the money allocated for printing ballot papers, in case the commission has to order new ballot papers. The reason is to remove the names of withdrawn candidates from ballot papers if they are already printed. In fact, they have already been printed”.
Apart from ballot papers, election commissions have to print posters with the photos and biographical data of candidates before early voting begins. If someone pulls out during this stage of elections and a commission decides to print a new poster, the former candidate will have to pay for it as well.
According to Nadzeya Lisyalyova, candidates can be relieved from any payments if they withdraw for justified reasons.
“Health reasons or leaving the country – there could be various reasons. But if a citizen is not serious about his or her participation in the elections by withdrawing without justified reasons, election commissions could regard this as an unjustified action”.
Now, it is impossible to say how many candidates have not used the money of the Central Elections Commission. According to Nadzeya Kisyalyova, this will become known only after all constituency commissions files their reports about the money used.
Former candidates will definitely not have to pay for TV appearances.
“TV and radio airwaves and the printing of election platforms are provided free of charge”.
Five candidates from the United Civic Party (UCP), including Alexander Dobrovolski who was running in Minsk’s constituency No 94, on Friday decided to pull out of the race. The European Radio for Belarus asked Lyudmila Bortnik, the chairperson of this commission, what economic sanctions one of UCP leaders could face.
“First of all, he needs to come to us and file his statement. Afterwards, we will decide what he spent the money for”, she said.
This constituency has already printed both the ballot papers and candidate posters, including the ones for Dobrovolski. The chairperson says the commission will not be printing new ballot papers. However, she does not know yet what to do with the posters.
It appears that some of former candidates who were “talked into” taking part in the elections and afterwards “talked out” of the race by fellow party members could face a personal financial collapse.
