28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties?

X. CAMPAIGN FINANCE

While the Election Code provides that all expenses related to the preparation and conduct of elections is covered by the state, there are limited provisions regulating campaign finance. 

(OSCE/ODIHR Election Assessment Mission Final Report, Parliamentary Elections, 15 December 2013, Turkmenistan, available at http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/116011?download=true accessed January 2018).

SECTION XVI. FINANCING OF ELECTIONS, REFERENDUMS

Article 88. Financing of elections, referenda

1. Expenses for the preparation and conduct of elections, a nationwide referendum are financed from the State Budget of Turkmenistan.

The costs of preparing and holding a local referendum are financed from the budget of the corresponding Gengesh.

The procedure for financing elections, referendums is determined by the Central Election Commission in coordination with the Ministry of Finance of Turkmenistan.

2. It is not allowed to finance elections, referenda in any form by state authorities and local self-government bodies, individuals and legal entities, as well as foreign states, foreign state bodies, institutions and enterprises, other foreign legal entities, their branches and representative offices, foreign citizens, international organizations registered in Turkmenistan by legal entities whose participants are foreign physical and legal entities idiotic persons.

Financing programs to improve electoral legislation, information, educational, research programs, programs for the technical preparation of elections, referendums, enhance the legal culture of participants in the electoral process is not a financing for elections or referendums.

3. The following expenditures are financed from the state budget of Turkmenistan and the budget of the Gengesh:

1) the production of printed materials and the implementation of publishing activities;

2) acquisition, delivery and installation of equipment, other material assets necessary for the conduct of elections, referendums and ensuring the operation of election commissions;

3) ensuring communication with election commissions (telephone, facsimile, postal, electronic), transportation costs associated with the preparation and conduct of elections, referendum;

4) delivery, storage of election documents, preparation for transfer to the archive or for destruction;

5) publication of lists of electoral districts and polling stations with indication of their boundaries, location, and the composition of precinct election commissions;

6) provision of free airtime, free print space to candidates, initiative groups of the referendum;

7) publication in the mass media of the messages of election commissions;

8) catering on the day of elections, referendum for members of election commissions (in the amount of per diem per person);

9) other expenses related to the preparation and conduct of elections, referendum, as well as ensuring the activities of election commissions.

4. Election commissions spend funds allocated for the preparation and conduct of elections, referendum in accordance with the approved cost estimates. A higher election commission may pay the costs of subordinate election commissions in a centralized manner.

5. The election commissions of etraps and cities shall submit to the election commission of the velayat a report on the expenditure of financial resources not later than fifteen days after the election day, a nationwide referendum. The election commissions of the velayats present to the Central Election Commission a report on the expenditure of financial resources not later than one month from the date of the election, a nationwide referendum.

6. The Central Election Commission submits to the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Finance of Turkmenistan a report on the expenditure by the election commissions of funds allocated from the State Budget of Turkmenistan for the preparation and conduct of elections and a nationwide referendum.

The election commission of the city in the etrap, town, gengeshlika submits to the corresponding Gengesh a report on the expenditure of funds allocated from the budget of the Gengesh to prepare and hold a local referendum.

7. The chairmen of election commissions dispose of the allocated funds and bear responsibility for the compliance of financial documents with the decisions of the election commissions on financial matters.

(Law of Turkmenistan on Political Parties, 2012 available at http://asgabat.net/stati/zakonodatelstvo-turkmenistana/zakon-turkmenistana-o-politicheskih-partijah.html  accessed January 2018).

Election Code provides that all expenses related to the preparation and conduct of elections is covered by the state,  but there are limited provisions regulating campaign finance.