After each election campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), political parties are often left with large debts due to the costs of campaign organization and advertising, and according to data from the Central Election Commission of BiH (CEC), the total debts of political parties amount to 8,610,538 BAM.
According to the data available in the CEC’s financial report for 2022, certain political parties have debts of over half a million BAM, which may have consequences for financial stability.
So, the question arises, who will pay those debts, will it be the party itself or will it fall on the taxpayers?
Campaign expenses in BiH
After the General Elections in 2022, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has debts in the amount of 290,687 BAM.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH) has debts in the amount of 167,695 BAM.
The largest debt of this party is to the company Laser d.o.o. Ljubuski, and the amount is 50,656 BAM. Of the other debts, of which there are over a hundred, they do not exceed 10,000 BAMindividually. HDZ owes 36,624 BAM in gross wages and benefits.
The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) has by far the largest debts after the General Elections in BiH, amounting to 1,396,335 BAM.
SDA has the largest debt according to records of salary contributions and contracts, and the number of liabilities as of November 2nd, 2022 amounts to 669,871 BAM. It is interesting that one of the larger debts of this party is also to the City of Mostar, which amounts to 110,719 BAM, but also a debt to TV Hayat of 64,604 BAM. Of the larger debts, each one is owed to TP Markets, which amounts to 51,586 BAM.
The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) has debts in the amount of 550,420 BAM.
In practice, it often happens that political parties do not pay their debts on time or at all, which can be a big problem for business entities that are damaged in that case, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.