Agitation during the special operation – Newspaper Kommersant No. 156 (7357) of 08/26/2022
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The majority of Russian parties increased spending on campaigning and holding public events long before the start of the official campaign, follows from the data published by the Central Election Commission on the receipt and expenditure of funds. The parties explain that the increase in costs is associated not only with the upcoming elections in September: the budget also includes the costs of humanitarian assistance to the republics of Donbass, as well as spending on information support for a special military operation in Ukraine.
In the second quarter of 2022, Russian parties were able to attract a total of 2.5 billion rubles to their budget, according to data published by the Central Election Commission. This is much less than in the first quarter (7.8 billion rubles), when political associations received state funding following the results of the 2021 parliamentary elections. The decrease in income was reflected in the level of current expenses of the parties, but most of them did not sequester spending on public events, agitation and propaganda, Kommersant found out: on the contrary, the expenses of most parties on these items even increased.
Thus, the expenses of United Russia (ER) for public events increased almost nine times compared to the first quarter, from 83 million to 730 million rubles, and for propaganda activities – from 153 million to 242 million rubles. In the second quarter, EP also nearly quadrupled its spending on international activities, from RUB 589,000 to RUB 2.2 million.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation also significantly increased spending on public events: from 996 thousand rubles. in the first quarter to 1.7 million rubles. in the second. Approximately in the same proportion, the Communist Party’s spending on propaganda increased from 26 million to 40 million rubles.
A Just Russia – For Truth (SRZP) in the second quarter raised spending on public events from 2 million to 4.4 million rubles, and on propaganda activities – from 23 million to 44 million rubles. New People were no exception, whose propaganda budget almost doubled: from 4 million rubles. in the first quarter to 9.6 million rubles. in the second. The only exception to this rule was the Liberal Democratic Party, which was not spent on public events at all, and its propaganda spending decreased from 31.2 million to 19 million rubles.
Deputy Secretary of the United Russia General Council Sergei Perminov confirmed to Kommersant that the growth in party spending is associated with the election campaign in the regions. “We have a traditional practice of financing within the established procedures and limits, depending on the number of election campaigns held this year,” United Russia explained. military special operation in Ukraine.— “b”), then there is a big humanitarian mission. Significant resources and huge forces, charitable and voluntary, are invested in it.”
Yury Afonin, First Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, explains the increase in spending on propaganda and public events by informing citizens about the work of the party and the communist faction in the State Duma following the results of the spring session, as well as by the propaganda campaign in preparation for the regional elections. “We also support regional associations in terms of preparing for regional campaigns,” he added. “As for humanitarian aid to the LPR and DPR, we have been doing this since 2014 and have already sent 100 convoys, but the vast majority are donations, not money that the party spends directly from its funding,” the communist stressed.
But the LDPR included in the party budget the cost of humanitarian aid to the DPR and LPR, Alexei Didenko, head of the party’s central apparatus, told Kommersant. He explains the overall reduction in propaganda spending as a “may drawdown before the elections” and “periods of silence”. During the elections, expenses will increase, Mr. Didenko is sure.
SRHR Chairman Sergei Mironov explains the increase in spending in the second quarter by the need to support military personnel and volunteers during the special operation. “Therefore, despite the upcoming September elections, increased spending on public events and propaganda work is connected precisely with the understanding of the need to achieve peace in Donbas,” he told Kommersant. According to Mr. Mironov, the party held “three striking exhibitions” in the State Duma in the first half of the year, published a book for students and teachers of Donbass together with Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and helped create the feature film Tasya.
The press service of the New People party clarified that they increased spending not on propaganda, but on pre-election campaigning. “The party participates in elections at all levels in dozens of regions, including two gubernatorial campaigns. You need to print newspapers, leaflets, pay for airtime and much more. Expenses have increased, but modestly and out of necessity,” the press service noted.
The real propaganda campaign begins long before the official start of the elections, reminds political scientist Konstantin Kalachev, so it is logical that the costs of relevant events grow in advance. Of course, the parties have different approaches, the expert notes: someone relies on an active start, and someone – on a stormy finish. Some understand that new elections begin immediately after the end of the old ones, and they try to constantly remind the voters of themselves, Mr. Kalachev sums up.
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