A number of significant changes to the Pre-election Campaign Law came into force on 1 January, 2024, that, inter alia, assure alignment of the penalty policy for pre-election campaign violations regardless of the place where the violation is committed. According to amendments, legal entities, including political parties, shall be subject to a maximum fine of EUR 7100 for pre-election campaign procedure violations or non-compliance with the established restrictions in public places, press publications, as well as social networks and elsewhere on the internet.
At the same time, the Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) reminds that from now on political organisations and non-affiliated persons thereof should take into account that funded pre-election campaigning in electronic media, public places, press publications, as well as in social networks and elsewhere on the internet will be allowed only in the official language of Latvia or in another official language of the European Union. The State Language Centre will monitor the use of the official language during the pre-election period.
If during a funded pre-election campaign the State Language Centre establishes that campaigning was carried out without ensuring compliance with the official language use arrangements, the Director of the KNAB is entitled to request that the unlawfully used funds are paid by the campaigner into the State budget. In such case, the person non-affiliated with political organisations is regarded as the campaigner.
KNAB reminds that this year the pre-election campaigning period of the European Parliament elections starts on 10 February and lasts until the election day, i.e. 8 June.