The Audit Office of the Republic has created its own archive recording the election expenses of parliamentary candidates, which is being updated daily. The aim is to cross‑check the data that will be submitted to it immediately after Sunday’s elections by both the 753 candidates and advertising providers, in order to determine whether candidates have failed to declare expenses or have exceeded the legal limit of €30,000.
According to Politis information, the Audit Office’s archive includes candidates who appear to dominate advertising in urban areas through billboards, as well as those with extensive advertising presence on social media. At the same time, pre‑election gatherings with significant costs are being recorded.
In some cases, according to the same information, candidates have organised particularly high‑cost events, such as receptions on luxury leisure vessels. Photographic and audiovisual material from such events has been posted on social media, providing additional evidence for Audit Office officials to document these expenditures. The same monitoring framework extends to other campaign activities. These cases are expected to be examined closely.
The audit
For the review of the election expenses of all 753 candidates, the relevant legislation provides, among other things, the following:
• Every payment made by a candidate or their election representative must be supported by an invoice or receipt. For amounts exceeding €100, the payment must be made via bank transfer or cheque.
• Candidates are required, within two months from the publication of the election results, to submit reports of their campaign expenses to the Chief Returning Officer. These reports are then forwarded to the Auditor General for review.
• In case of late submission, the Chief Returning Officer imposes an administrative fine of €500, which increases by €50 for each additional day of delay.
• Failure to submit the expense report constitutes a criminal offence. Upon conviction, it carries a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of €340, or both. Additionally, the court may impose deprivation of voting rights and removal from the electoral roll for up to seven years.
• Providers of advertising services to candidates must submit consolidated statements to the Auditor General within one month of the elections, detailing the services provided.
• The Auditor General, after examining the reports, prepares and publishes findings. Where overspending is identified, a report is sent to the Chief Returning Officer, who imposes a fine equal to the amount of the excess.
Legislative gaps as an ally
Parliamentary candidates benefit from gaps in the legislation, which allow them to exceed the €30,000 limit with relative ease.
Under existing law, the audit of campaign expenses only covers the period beginning three months before election day. In this case, the official campaign period began on 24 February 2026 and ends on Sunday. As a result, any expenses incurred before that date are not included in the €30,000 limit.
It should be noted that several candidates began their campaign activities months earlier, well before the official start of the campaign period. However, those expenses will not be included in their declared campaign spending.
Furthermore, before 24 February 2026, candidates were able to purchase or prepay for various services, such as receptions, venue rentals in hotels or entertainment venues, as well as gifts or similar items. These services can then be used during the official campaign period without being declared, since payment was made earlier.
In addition, expenses covered by third parties such as relatives, friends, companies or even political parties, are not declared in campaign reports. This practice significantly complicates meaningful oversight. At the same time, expenditures made in cash are also difficult to trace and audit.
€30,000 not enough
According to candidates who spoke to Politis, the €30,000 limit set by current legislation is not sufficient to cover a campaign. Campaign expenses include, among others:
• Social events: Costs depend on the venue, whether food and drinks are offered, and other factors.
• Advertising: Promotion through electronic and print media, as well as billboards. The intensity and reach depend on the candidate’s financial resources. Television advertising is particularly expensive, while candidates with limited resources often rely on printed leaflets.
• Polls: On average, five to six polls are conducted during the campaign. Candidates with financial means use them to track performance and identify competitors. The results help guide their campaign strategy more precisely.
• Communications consultants: Candidates typically hire professionals, often with a background in journalism, to promote their campaign using their experience, networks and public profile.
• Social media: Candidates usually work with a social media specialist who manages websites, blogs and platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. Together with the communications consultant, they aim to grow followers and continuously update campaign content.
• Office rent: Varies depending on city and location.
• Office equipment: Includes phone lines, call costs, internet, computers, staff salaries, furniture, cleaning and refreshments.
• SMS campaigns: Mass sending of campaign messages and voter information about campaign events.
