Political Finance Database

Sources of funding of a political party is limited to:
1) membership fees of the political party; 2) state budget appropriations; 3) funds received by the political party from its other activities; 4) loans received by the political party from banks registered in the Republic of Lithuania or another EU Member State or branches of banks registered in the European Economic Area and operating in the Republic of Lithuania; 5) interest on the funds kept in the bank account; 6) an amount equal to 1% of the annual income tax paid by a Lithuanian resident who voluntarily allocates the said amount for the political campaign; 7) donations for funding a campaign of the political party made by individuals having the right to donate, received by the political party during its political campaign.

Only permanent residents of the Republic of Lithuania holding the citizenship of any other EU Member State – to independent political campaign participants of political campaigns of elections to the European Parliament and municipal councils can be donors to political party or candidate.

Any other foreign interests are not allowed to donate to candidates or parties.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

Controlling authorities of financing of political campaigns must be able to identify the donor. 

Controlling authorities of financing of political campaigns must be able to identify the donor. 

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

All donations from legal persons are banned.

It is prohibited to finance political parties, candidates or campaigns of political parties or candidates with the funds which are not specified in the law.

Legal persons are not allowed to fund political parties.

During not the election year: Natural persons can donate to political party 1% of the annual income tax paid by a Lithuanian resident who voluntarily allocates the said amount for the political party.

During the election year: One natural person during a political campaign can donate for each independent political campaign participant (party or candidate) a donation which does not exceed the amount of 10 average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year (hereinafter: 'AMEs'). During a calendar year the total amount of donations by one natural person for independent political campaign participants may not exceed 10 per cent of the amount of the annual income declared by the natural person for the last calendar year.

Legal persons are not allowed to fund political parties.

During not the election year: Natural persons can donate to political party 1% of the annual income tax paid by a Lithuanian resident who voluntarily allocates the said amount for the political party.

During the election year: One natural person during a political campaign can donate for each independent political campaign participant (party or candidate) a donation which does not exceed the amount of 10 average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year (hereinafter: 'AMEs'). During a calendar year the total amount of donations by one natural person for independent political campaign participants may not exceed 10 per cent of the amount of the annual income declared by the natural person for the last calendar year.

Legal persons are not allowed to fund political parties.

During the election year: One natural person during a political campaign can donate for each independent political campaign participant (party or candidate) a donation which does not exceed the amount of 10 average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year (hereinafter: 'AMEs'). During a calendar year the total amount of donations by one natural person for independent political campaign participants may not exceed 10 per cent of the amount of the annual income declared by the natural person for the last calendar year.

Legal persons are not allowed to fund political parties.

One natural person during a political campaign can donate for each independent political campaign participant (party or candidate) a donation which does not exceed the amount of 10 average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year (hereinafter: 'AMEs'). During a calendar year the total amount of donations by one natural person for independent political campaign participants may not exceed 10 per cent of the amount of the annual income declared by the natural person for the last calendar year.

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In order to fund his own political campaign a candidate in a single-member constituency and candidates included in the lists nominated by the public election committees, and referendum initiators may donate a donation which does not exceed the amount of 20 AMEs (AMEs -average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year).

The total amount of non-cash donation can not exceed 10 AMEs (average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year) and can be donated only by natural person.

The procedure for appraising non-cash donations and estimating their fair value shall is laid down by the Government or an institution authorised by it. 

The total amount of non-cash donation can not exceed 10 AMEs (average monthly earnings valid in the fourth quarter of the previous calendar year) and can be donated only by natural person.

The procedure for appraising non-cash donations and estimating their fair value is laid down by the Government or an institution authorised by it. 

Political parties shall enjoy the right to engage in publishing, distribution of printed matter and party symbols, management, use and disposal of the property belonging by the right of ownership, organisation of political and cultural events (lectures, exhibitions, etc.) and other activities; money received from such activities may be used only to pursue the purposes of the political party as specified in the statute of the political party.

Any other engagement in commercial enterprises is prohibited.

Political campaigns of political parties can be financed by  loans received by a political party from banks registered in the Republic of Lithuania or another European Union Member State or a branch of a bank registered in the European Economic Area and operating in the Republic of Lithuania;

Political campaigns of other independent political campaign participants (other than political parties) shall be financed from:
1) donations of natural persons; 2) own (personal) funds; 3) interest on the funds kept in the political campaign account.

This regulation suggests that candidates are able to take loan and to spend it on campaign BUT the Law does not regulates that directly.

No, because all legal persons are banned from donating to political parties/candidates.

Article 10.5 Cash donations of natural persons that exceed EUR 290 must be donated only by bank transfer. Cash donations of natural persons for the political campaign received not by bank transfer shall be transferred by the political campaign treasurer to the political campaign account not later than the next day after receipt of the donation.

11.2 Small donations (not exceeding 12 EUR) to independent political campaign participants may be donated by phone, internet, bank transfer or other means, allowing the controlling authorities of financing of political campaigns to identify the donor.

Article 19. Sources of funding of political parties:

2) state budget appropriations;

Article 21. 

1. Political parties, which are registered in the Register of Legal Entities and which satisfy statutory requirements regarding the number of political party members and the reform or liquidation procedure has not been initiated in respect of them, are entitled to state budget appropriations to fund activities of the political party.
2. State budget appropriations designated for funding activities of the political party are allocated to those political parties satisfying the criteria that they received not less than 3 per cent of all the votes cast by the voters for the candidates of the political parties in those elections to the Seimas, municipal councils, the European Parliament according to the results of which these state budget appropriations are allocated.

The amount of state budget appropriations for funding activities of a political party, which is allocated for that political party is determined by the following procedure:

1) by summing up only the votes of voters cast for the candidates of those political parties which received more than 3%  of all votes, the number of all votes is determined;

2) coefficient of one voter’s vote is established by dividing the state budget appropriations designated for funding activities of the political party by the number of votes of all the voters;

20 Article. 5. State budget appropriations for political parties may be used only for the following:

1) to fund a political campaign;
2) to pay an election deposit;
3) to purchase current and fixed assets;
4) to settle with employees;
5) taxes and other contributions to the state budget, compulsory state social insurance contributions and compulsory health insurance contributions;
6) to cover expenses related to the provision of services;
7) to cover arrears of the political party’s political campaign;
8) to repay loans taken by the political party and intended for the expenses referred to in Points 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this paragraph.

Article 16.9. After the Central Electoral Commission announces candidates (lists of candidates), the following shall be financed with state budget funds from the appropriations allocated to the Central Electoral Commission:
1) discussions of candidates over the radio and on television with the aim of presenting election programmes in compliance with the principle of equality and according to the procedure laid down by the Central Electoral Commission;

Article 16.9. After the Central Electoral Commission announces candidates (lists of candidates), the following shall be financed with state budget funds from the appropriations allocated to the Central Electoral Commission:
1) discussions of candidates over the radio and on television with the aim of presenting election programmes in compliance with the principle of equality and according to the procedure laid down by the Central Electoral Commission;

Article 16.9. After the Central Electoral Commission announces candidates (lists of candidates), the following shall be financed with state budget funds from the appropriations allocated to the Central Electoral Commission:
1) discussions of candidates over the radio and on television with the aim of presenting election programmes in compliance with the principle of equality and according to the procedure laid down by the Central Electoral Commission;

State and municipal property may be provided to political parties in accordance with established criteria.

Article 44.2 Heads of state, municipal institutions and agencies must help candidates to organise meetings with voters and to receive necessary information

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Article 172. A person who, using mental coercion or bribery or deception, hinders a person to exercise his right to elect, to be elected or to participate in a referendum or organises such hindering to exercise the right to elect, to be elected or to participate in the referendum shall be punished by community service or by a fine or by restriction of liberty or by arrest or by a custodial sentence for a term of up to four years.

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Third parties banned from campaign spending and all donations from legal persons are banned.

Article 16.

3. Expenditure of a political campaign participant for the campaigning videos (discussion programmes and campaigning-related videos of not less than 30 seconds duration in which a political campaign participant informs about his political programme or speaks on issues topical to the public) may not exceed 50 per cent of the allowed maximum amount of political campaign expenditure set for the political campaign participant.

4. During a political campaign, public information producers or disseminators may disseminate political advertising only at the rates and under the conditions which are equal to all political campaign participants and which are submitted to the Central Electoral Commission.

Applies the same regulation as for all media.

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2. Upon the end of the year a person responsible for the accounting of the political party prepares a set of financial statements of the political party. The annex is prepared together with a set of financial statements of the political party, i.e. a report on the use of state budget appropriations.
3. A set of financial statements of the political party consists of the following financial statements:
1) balance sheet;
2) performance report;
3) explanatory note of the financial statements.

The political campaign treasurer within 10 working days announce on the website of the Central Electoral Commission the data on donations received and political campaign funding agreements concluded during the political campaign;

The political campaign treasurer controls political campaign expenditure and supervise that the expenditure would not exceed the expenditure amounts fixed in the Law;

The political campaign treasurer within 10 working days announce on the website of the Central Electoral Commission the data on donations received and political campaign funding agreements concluded during the political campaign;

The political campaign treasurer controls political campaign expenditure and supervise that the expenditure would not exceed the expenditure amounts fixed in the Law;

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All information regarding to parties and candidates/parties campaign financing is published on the website of Central Electoral Commission (www.vrk.lt)

All donors must be able to able to reveal their identity. E.g. even donors who donated to political campaign donations not exceeding 12 Euros must be able to identify

11.4.(4) Political campaign participant must submit a list of donors together with the data allowing to identify the donor immediately at the the request of the controlling authorities of funding of political campaigns. 

11.11.The total amount of small donations (not exceeding 12 EUR) received by an independent political campaign participant without specifying the donors shall be indicated in the accounting records of political campaign funding and published on the Central Electoral Commission's website.

All donors who donated more than 12 EUR must be declared on the website of Central Electoral Commission:

10.6 Not later than within 10 days from the day of receipt of a donation the political campaign treasurer shall announce the name, surname of a donor-natural person on the public list of donors placed on the website of the Central Electoral Commission.

Origins of all of funds must be documented and included into written statements drawn up based upon special forms set forth by the Central Electoral Commission.

Article 17: 6. All political campaign proceeds received by a political party or  independent political campaign participants from the sources specified in Article 8 of this Law as well as political campaign expenditure or assumed financial liabilities shall be entered in the accounting records of political campaign funding.
7. All political campaign proceeds and expenditure as well as assumed liabilities (according to the expenditure groups) shall be specified in a political campaign funding report in compliance with the description of the procedure for filling in and submitting a political campaign funding report approved by the Central Electoral Commission. The list of donations and donors or sums of donations according to the groups of donors shall be submitted separately.

Article 17. 7. All political campaign proceeds and expenditure as well as assumed liabilities (according to the expenditure groups) shall be specified in a political campaign funding report in compliance with the description of the procedure for filling in and submitting a political campaign funding report approved by the Central Electoral Commission.

Central Electoral Commission and the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance.

Article 19.1. Funding of political campaigns shall be controlled by the Central Electoral Commission and other institutions within their remit in accordance with the procedure laid down by the law.

20.1 &2An independent political campaign participant who during the political campaign has received the sum of revenue exceeding the amount of 70 AMEs must conclude with an audit firm a contract for the independent inspection of an independent political campaign participant. Independent inspection of independent political campaign participants which have received the sum of revenue lower than the amount of 70 AMEs during the political campaign shall be organised by the Central Electoral Commission.

19.2.(13)  the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance create conditions for a political campaign treasurer to check in the information system of the Central Electoral Commission whether or not a donation meets the requirements of Article 10(2) of this Law.

19. 2(7) The Central Electoral Commission control the compliance by political campaign participants with the requirements of this Law and propose to hold liable for violations of this Law or to appeal to other institutions whose competence granted by the law allow to inspect the compliance with the requirements laid down by the law;

20.3 The auditor must carry out independent inspection of an independent political campaign participant in compliance with legal acts.

Law on party financing 19.2 The Central Electoral Commission 

7) control the compliance by political campaign participants with the requirements of Law and propose to hold liable for violations of this Law or to appeal to other institutions whose competence granted by the law allow to inspect the compliance with the requirements laid down by the law;

3. The Central Electoral Commission controls the use of funds designated for a political campaign.
4. The Central Electoral Commission is responsible for continuous timely provision of information about violations of funding of political campaigns to the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania and to the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania.

Article 23.2 The Central Electoral Commission takes a decision whether a political campaign participant has grossly violated this Law.

Law on Political Parties (20.4) Where the Central Electoral Commission recognizes that a political party has grossly violated this Law, or has made a gross violation of the funding of a political campaign, such political party shall not be allocated state budget appropriations for a period of up to two years counting from the date of entry into force of the decision.

Law on Political Parties (20.4) Where the Central Electoral Commission recognizes that a political party has grossly violated this Law, or has made a gross violation of the funding of a political campaign, such political party shall not be allocated state budget appropriations for a period of up to two years counting from the date of entry into force of the decision.

Law on Party finance (6) A political party or any other independent political campaign participant forfeits the status of an independent political campaign participant  when the Central Electoral Commission revokes not later than nine days before the election date the registration of a political party or any other independent political campaign participant because of gross violations of this Law.

A violation of the accounting regime for donations to a political party imposes a fine on the person responsible for accounting of a political party or the chair of a political party (544, Code of administrative law violations).