State Support for Electoral Campaigns
(1) The contestants receive interest-free loans from the state.
(2) State budget loans may be received only by a person designated responsible for finance and appointed for this purpose by the contestant. Financially responsible persons shall be natural or legal entities, registered with the Ministry of Finance. They shall all share responsibilities with the contestants who appointed them. The application for a loan shall be submitted to the Ministry of Finance.
(3) State loans received shall be cleared o# fully or partially by the state depending on the overall number of votes received by the contestant in the respective district. The sum to be cleared of by the state shall be established by dividing the sum of loan received by the number of voters who participated in the elections, and then multiplying it by the number of valid votes cast for the contestant.
(31) The electoral contestant who has withdrawn his/her candidature shall pay back the loan allocated from the state budget for conducting his/her electoral campaigns during a period of 2 months since the moment the candidature is withdrawn.
(4) Contestants who fail to receive at least three per cent of the valid votes cast in the election throughout the republic, or in the respective district, including independent candidates who were not elected, shall pay back the state loans received within two months from the end of voting. Other candidates shall pay back the state loans within four months.
(5) In the event that the elected and validated mayor refuses to exercise his/her mandate, he/she shall pay back the expenditure related to the organisation and conduct of elections.
