ZAGREB, January 21, 2020 – A total of HRK 3.1 million could be set aside from the state budget to compensate for campaign-related expenses of the top three of the eleven candidates in the recent presidential election – Zoran Milanović (SDP), Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović (HDZ) and Miroslav Škoro (independent).
Milanović can expect 1.2 million kuna for his campaigning in both rounds of the election while Grabar-Kitarović 1.08 million kuna and Škoro could receive a total of 827,000 kuna for his electioneering in the first round of the campaign.
If the State Electoral Commission (DIP) does not find anything contentious in their finances during the campaign, the three candidates can expect a refund by mid March.
According to a government decision, those candidates who won at least 10% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election are eligible for compensation of their electioneering costs and the top three of the eleven candidates that ran in the first round on 22 December thus qualify for compensation.
Milanović, the winner of the first round, is entitled to a million kuna plus 200,000 kuna, as a fifth of a million kuna for his victory of the second round.
The amount of compensation for the other two candidates – Grabar-Kitarović and Škoro – is in proportion with the number of ballots they won.
That amount is then increased by 20% for those candidates who make it to the second round which means that in the end Milanović is eligible for 1.20 million kuna and Grabar-Kitarović for 1.08 million kuna.
Milanović and Grabar-Kitarović have to submit a financial report of how much they actually spent on electioneering by February 4.
The other nine candidates who did not enter the second round are required to submit their financial reports to DIP by midnight Tuesday. So far two candidates have already submitted their reports: Mislav Kolakušić (independent) and Katarina Peović who was supported by the Workers’ Front (RF) and Socialist Labour Party (SRP).
Kolakušić reported that he spent a mere 24 kuna of his own money for his campaign.
Peović reported that she ended in the green by about 15,000 kuna. She received a total of 120,000 kuna, of which 94,000 kuna was from the two parties supporting her candidacy and an additional 26,000 kuna from private donors while she spent 104,000 kuna on electioneering.
The majority of her costs went for advertising on social media networks (30,000 kuna), radio ads (24,500 kuna) and official trips (12,500 kuna).
How much the remaining seven candidates, Nedjeljko Babić (HSSKSC), Anto Đapić (RiGHT)), Ivan Pernar (SIP) and independent candidates Dario Juričan, Dean Kovač, Dalija Orešković and Miroslav Škoro spent on their campaigns will be made known on Wednesday.
More news about presidential elections can be found in the Politics section.
