Watchdog: Elections advertising space must be available to competitors
For the Political Party Funding Supervision Committee, the key in campaign ads is knowing who paid and ensuring equal access for other candidates.
At the start of the week, Forus Takso vehicles owned by businessman Urmas Sõõrumaa appeared on Tallinn's streets, bearing election ads for their owner, who is running in Haabersti on the Reform Party's list.
When it comes to campaign advertising, what matters is that the service provided to politicians is offered on market terms and is also available to other candidates. Although Forus Takso vehicles do not usually carry election ads, Liisa Oviir, chair of the Political Party Funding Supervision Committee (ERJK), said this does not in itself mean the rules have been violated.
Oviir stressed that the ERJK deals strictly with the transparency and legality of party and candidate financing and cannot give an ethical assessment of the content or placement of advertisements.
To check compliance with market conditions, the ERJK can request reference prices from other market participants. The provision of goods, services or property rights to a political party under terms not available to others is considered a prohibited donation.
"Of course, it is difficult to verify whether the service is available to other people as well, especially after the fact," Oviir noted.
She explained that with ads displayed on taxis, the potential issue lies in whether the same advertising space would be offered to other candidates at the same price. However, if no other party or candidate has thought to purchase ad space on taxis, the committee does not consider this a violation.
The ERJK can only verify, based on campaign finance reports submitted within a month after elections, whether the candidate or their party has paid for the advertising space at a fair market value.
Most often, politicians turn to the ERJK with complaints about campaign ads when they feel another party has gained an advantage.
Oviir cited recent complaints concerning political parties' tents at fairs or festivals, where candidates suspect rivals of having received preferential terms. But, she added, if another party or electoral alliance has not asked the event organizer for a quote to participate, there is no way to claim that anyone received a discounted spot.
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Editor: Barbara Oja, Marcus Turovski
