Events

Project Partners: Institute for Public Affairs, Slovakia, Transparency International Slovenia
Conference Partner: OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Affairs
 
Conference languages:  English, Polish


The freedom of political involvement and the openness of  information on political activity financing are two fundamental European standards of electoral processes.
 
The question arises how the two standards are observed in local politics financing? We will look for the answer analyzing  the examples of Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia at the conference organized on the 10^th March in Warsaw by the Institute of Public Affairs (Poland) together with the Institute for Public Affairs (Slovakia) and  Transparency International Slovenia, in co-operation with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
 
We will examine how the local politics financing systems keep pace with modern society phenomena such as, for instance, increased reliance on e-communication. Together with international experts we will ponder on how to improve electoral finance monitoring and control to address contemporary challenges.
 
The findings from the monitoring of electoral campaigns in Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia during the local government elections of 2014 will provide the departure point for the discussion on the necessary remedies and inspiring ideas.
  

CONFERENCE AGENDA

09:00-10:00    Registration

10:00-10:10    Welcome address:

                        Jacek Kucharczyk, President, Institute of Public Affairs
                        Tamara Otiashvili, Election Adviser, OSCE ODiHR
                       
PART I: TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS AND PRACTICE

10:10-10:30     European transparency standards in local politics financing - a key-note speech – Marcin Walecki, OSCE ODIHR

10:30-11:30     Standards versus practice:  lessons from monitoring the transparency of local election campaigns 2014.

·        Slovakia – Grigorij Meseznikov, Institute for Public Affairs
·         Slovenia – Sebastijan Peterka, Transparency International Slovenia - Društvo Integriteta
·         Poland – Paulina Sobiesiak-Penszko, Institute of Public Affairs

11:30-11:50    Coffee break

11:50-12:10    The key challenges – a summary of  findings from the monitoring in the three countries – Filip Pazderski, Institute of Public Affairs

12:10-12:40    Discussion, questions and answers 

12:40- 13:30   Lunch
 
PART II: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES REVEALED

13:30 – 14:10 Looking for well tested solutions and inspirations - comment and advice from international experts

·         Magnus Ohman, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

·         Samuel Jones,  International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)

·         Ulvi Akhundlu, Election Adviser, OSCE ODiHR
 
14:10 – 15:10 Translating the recommendations and expert advice into practice: a discussion panel of Polish stakeholders

            moderated by Paulina Sobiesiak-Penszko, Institute of Public Affairs
·         Krzysztof Lorenz, National Electoral Office,
·         Teresa Bodys, Election Commissionaire in Zamość
·         [to be established], Ministry of Justice
·         [to be established], Public Prosecutor’s Office / Supreme Audit Office
·        Katarzyna Batko-Tołuć, Citizen Network Watchdog Poland
·        Wojciech Cieśla,  investigative journalist, Newsweek
 
15:10 – 15:50 Discussion and conference wrap-up
 

 

The event is part of project “Transparency of local government elections in Central and Eastern Europe”.