Provisions on direct public funding of political parties were introduced in the LPP already before the adoption of the 2013 Joint Opinion, but they were amended in the course of the 2015 reform. On that basis, the CEC started to allocate state funding to political parties in August 2016.It is recognised that public funding has the potential of preventing corruption and covert funding, removing undue reliance on private donors and ensuring the principle of equal opportunity of different parties.At the same time, it is crucial that the distribution of public support be clearly defined by law, be based on objective and fair criteria, and not lead to undue dependence on the state.