CoE urges more transparent party financing in Hungary

Brussels, November 23 (MTI) – The Council of Europe has urged that Hungary step up its anti-corruption measures and increase transparency in political party financing, in an addendum to the organisation’s country report.

According to the document, CoE’s Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO) suggests that Hungary’s State Audit Office (ASZ) should exercise faster, more pro-active and more frequent checks on political parties. Parties should also be required to keep accounts and submit reports in line with their size and activities, and they should provide public access to their annual reports, the group suggested.

Political parties and their foundations should publish the source of financial donations they receive, said GRECO, and called for precise regulations to prevent parties from getting around a ban on receiving anonymous donations.

The group also proposed that political parties should regularly publish their revenues and expenses during election campaigns.

Hungary should revise its sanctions for violating party financing rules to make those sanctions more proportionate and more effective in preventing further violations, the document said.

GRECO has called on Hungary to provide an account on measures to increase transparency of the area before July 31 next year.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters