Movement for Rights and Freedoms spent the most on May election campaign
The Movement for Rights and Freedoms spent the most on its campaign in Bulgaria’s May 2013 parliamentary elections, more than 3.95 million leva (about 1.97 million euro), according to a report submitted by the party to the National Audit Office.
In second place was the Bulgarian Socialist Party’s Coalition for Bulgaria, which spent more than 2.9 million leva, and centre-right former ruling party GERB was third, at 1.95 million leva.
Volen Siderov’s ultra-nationalists Ataka spent 584 430 leva, according to its report.
In the May 2013 elections, of the 240 seats in the 42nd National Assembly, GERB won 97, the BSP 82, the MRF 36 and Ataka 23.
If the sum of money spent by each party is divided by the number of MPs the respective parties got, each MRF MP cost that party the most per head while GERB got the best “value for money” for its spending.
By this calculation, each seat for the MRF cost about 109 995 leva, for the BSP about 35 488 leva, Ataka 25 410 leva and GERB, 20 173 leva.
Of the MRF spending of 3 959 821 leva, the sum came from funds raised, the party’s own money and the statutory state subsidy. The MRF told the National Audit Office that it spent about 1.8 million leva on materials including stationery and fuel; on external services – media services, surveys, consultancy costs, flyers, leaflets and brochures, as well as spending on events, rentals of accommodation, 2.13 million leva.
The total financing for the BSP campaign was 3 230 749. GERB’s spending of 1 956 867 came basically from its state subsidy.
Of Ataka’s 584 430 leva spent, about 26 865 was on materials including stationery and fuel, about 503 694 went on media services, surveys, consultancy costs, flyers, leaflets, brochures, events, rentals of accommodation while spending on travel was about 53 871 leva.
