Parliament adopted by a vote of 54 deputies amendments to eight laws, including the Law on Political Parties, the Law on Combating Extremist Activity, the Electoral Code and the Criminal Code, which are aimed at “effectively combating electoral corruption and related aspects”.
The new provisions increase criminal penalties to prevent criminal acts related to electoral corruption and illegal party financing.
For example, offering money, goods, services or other benefits in order to influence the choice of voters will be punished by imprisonment from 2 to 6 years, a fine from 37,500 lei to 57,500 lei and deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or to carry out certain activities for up to five years. In the case of legal entities, the fine will be up to 400 thousand lei with deprivation of the right to carry out certain activities or liquidation of the legal entity.
The amendments to the Criminal Code also refer to the sanctions to be applied if the acts are committed in the interests of an organized criminal group or a criminal organization, by a person who knows that the promised, offered or provided money, goods, services or other benefits come from an organized criminal group or a criminal organization, a foreign state, a foreign organization, an unconstitutional entity or their representatives. Such cases will be punished with 7 to 15 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to 117,500 lei and deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for 5 to 10 years. In the case of legal entities, the fine will be up to 1 million lei with deprivation of the right to carry out certain activities or its liquidation.
The amendment to the Criminal Code is also aimed at toughening the punishment for illegal financing of political parties, initiative groups, electoral competitors or referendum participants. In particular, persons who will act in the interests of an organized criminal group, knowing that the money intended for illegal financing comes from an organized criminal group, a foreign state, a foreign organization, an anti-constitutional entity or their representatives, will face imprisonment from 7 to 15 years with a fine of 92,500 to 117,500 lei and deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for 5 to 10 years.
Criminal liability for falsification of voting results was also strengthened. The perpetrators face imprisonment from 3 to 7 years, a fine of up to 117,500 lei and deprivation of the right to hold certain posts or to engage in certain activities for 2 to 7 years.
The amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code are made in order to ensure the priority prosecution of corruption offenses in the electoral field. Thanks to them, criminal cases will be considered in an accelerated procedure. The process will last without breaks between sessions.
Amendments to the Code of Offences provide for fines for election campaigning by non-profit organizations or representatives of religious denominations, including in places of worship.
The Electoral Code was supplemented with provisions according to which the Central Electoral Commission will be able to deprive political parties of funding from the state budget for political results obtained during the electoral vote for a period of 6 months to 4 years. This sanction can be applied for repeated violations in the financial and electoral sphere committed by political parties.
