Central Electoral Commission of Lithuania on Thursday allocated 2.5 million euros in state funding to 10 political parties, while suspending payments to a ruling coalition member over financial violations.
The state funding is meant to keep political parties independent from private donors and is allocated in proportion to vote shares in recent elections.
Under the decision, the largest share, 662,700 euros, will go to the ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania.
The opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats will receive 612,000 euros.
Other allocations include 258,800 euros for the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, 241,500 euros for the opposition Democrats “For Lithuania”, and 237,000 euros for the Liberal Movement.
Smaller amounts were assigned to the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance (141,600 euros), Freedom Party (140,400 euros), Lithuanian Regions Party (88,000 euros), National Alliance (65,400 euros), and the Centre-Right Union (61,100 euros).
A separate decision left 241,800 euros in funding for the first half of the year undistributed for the Nemunas Dawn party, which is a member of the ruling coalition.
Last week, the electoral commission ruled that the party had committed serious financial accounting violations. It found that the party used state budget funds improperly when renting cars from its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis and party member Daiva Petkevičienė, and failed to justify 49,500 euros in expenses with proper documentation.
Under Lithuanian law, parties found to have committed serious violations may be temporarily denied state funding.
Žemaitaitis has said the party will challenge the decision in court, arguing it is unfounded and based on incorrect data, and that the commission failed to take into account explanations provided by the party.
The electoral commission distributes state subsidies to political parties twice a year, by April 15 and November 15.
A total of 5.5 million euros in state funding has been allocated for political parties in Lithuania this year.
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