A government ploy to hand out cheques prior to the March general election does not conform to international standards and good practice, an international election monitoring body has ruled.
In a 25-page report published on Friday by the OSCE’s office for democratic institutions and human rights, a team of international experts sent to monitor the election said the pre-election cheques could blur the line between party and state.
Workers, pensioners and students all received government cheques ranging from €100 to €200 in the days and weeks leading up to polling day.
According to the police, the pre-election cheques did not amount to a corrupt practice.
The OSCE, however, said that to prevent the misuse of administrative resources, no major announcements of financial allocations which might create a favourable perception of a given party or candidate should occur during campaign periods.
Regular use of social media channels by cabinet members to publicise their personal and political profiles could be interpreted as a misuse of official resources, the report continued.
PBS, Broadcasting Authority
The election-monitoring body also zeroed in on PBS, saying the appointment procedure of its management, its financing and reports of interference in editorial policy all point to a lack of independence from the government.
It noted how the Broadcasting Authority failed to effectively monitor or enforce the constitutional and legislative obligation for impartial reporting when it came to the television stations owned by the Nationalist and Labour parties.
The OSCE said that, as a matter of priority, the appointment procedure for the members of the governing boards of the Broadcasting Authority and PBS should be brought in line with international standards and good practice to provide for independence and transparency.
“To ensure the public broadcaster’s editorial independence, the management should be selected through a transparent, competitive process and legal safeguards for its financial sustainability and autonomy should be enacted.”
Independent media outlets, the report continues, generally face financial difficulties and journalists report significant problems with access to public information as well as the prevalence of civil defamation claims, including cases of strategic litigation against public participation.
'Professional organisation'
On an organisational level, the OSCE said the elections were organised efficiently and professionally, with stakeholders expressing confidence in most stages of the process.
However, its transparency was diminished by limited access to Electoral Commission activities, the lack of regulations allowing for election observation and limited oversight of and access to information on party and campaign financing.