SocDems think PM campaigns from tax payers' money ahead of elections

  • 2012-07-27

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Social Democrats think that Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, the Conservatives' leader is abusing his power and might have confused public and private interests as he went on his traditional bike tour entitled Turn to the Right across Lithuania.

It looks like tax payers will have to pay twice for the election campaign launched by the Conservatives, reads a press release by the Seimas' Group of the Social Democrats. Under the new law, political parties can be only funded from the public budget and cannot accept donations from legal persons. Meanwhile, the Conservatives decided to make use of their leading position and save some money.

"All the details of the prime minister's tour, even his bruises are widely covered by the media, including the national broadcaster. It is not fair in respect of other parties. Everybody is well aware how much a minute on TV or a square centimeter of an ad in a newspaper cost nowadays," says Irena Siauliene, Elder of the Seimas' Group of the Social Democrats.

According to her, her party is thinking of applying to the Central Electoral Commission regarding the political campaign of the Right.