That said, the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR delegation was concerned to hear allegations that the above-mentioned principles of fair and non-discriminatory allocation of free airtime were not respected as to their spirit, e.g. opposition candidates were not given airtime during prime time. As the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR have stressed on previous occasions, including in the 2017 Joint Opinion and the observation report on the 2016 presidential election, free and equal or equitable access to media by all contestants is a cornerstone of democratic elections. According to the Guidelines, “the principle of equal treatment before the law with regard to the media refers not only to the time given to parties and candidates but also to the timing and location of such space. ”In order to ensure a level playing field for electoral contestants, it is recommended that access to public media during electoral campaigns be regulated more specifically in Articles 64/641 of the EC, including by defining more precisely the principle of equal access to broadcasting, guaranteeing free airtime for all electoral contestants during prime time (for electoral advertising, election debates and broadcasting campaign meetings) and ensuring strict supervision.