ZAGREB, November 20, 2020 – The High Administrative Court has upheld a ruling by the Administrative Court and a State Election Commission decision to fine the Social Democratic Party (SDP) over former SDP MP Gordan Maras having displayed campaign messages on his laptop in parliament ahead of the 2019 European election.
Under the decision by the State Election Commission (DIP), the SDP was fined HRK 86,000 (approx. €11,500) for its former MP’s conduct.
Ahead of the May 2019 EP elections, Maras displayed different promotional stickers in the parliament on his laptop such as “Vote Maras”, and “Vote 007”, which, DIP decided, violated the law on the financing of election campaigns because he used official parliament premises for electioneering.
DIP concluded that Maras showed extreme persistence in violating the law because he disregarded warnings to stop with that conduct.
Dissatisfied with DIP’s decision, the SDP appealed with the Administrative Court in Zagreb, but that court too, ruled against the SDP, and its ruling has now been upheld by the High Administrative Court.
