Levits proposes ending public funding of political parties with disintegrated parliamentary groups

RIGA - President Egils Levits has proposed legislative amendments intended to end public funding of political parties whose parliamentary groups have disintegrated. 

Under the proposed legislation, the Corruption Prevention Bureau (KNAB) would be authorized to decide on stopping the disbursement of public funds to those political parties whose groups in the Saeima have disbanded or decreased by more than two thirds. 

In the current Saeima, the provision would apply to KPV LV party, whose number of mandates in among the highest but which has completely disintegrated and ceased to exist. KNAB already has decided to withhold EUR 646,303 worth of public funding for this party, which has now been renamed as For a Humane Latvia (PCL). 

The public funding has been suspended for one year because the party has been spending its money unlawfully, KNAB said. 

Levits submitted his legislative proposal to the Saeima on Thursday, January 20. 

The president still believes that the recent substantial increase of public funding for political parties in combination with tougher restrictions on private donations was a necessary decisions that will strengthen Latvia's democratic system in the long term.