Candidates for MPs and political campaign parties are spending as much as

While the political parties' campaign has remained only a few hours until its closure, political parties have spent much money promoting their candidates in the parliamentary race for the February 14th 2021 elections.

A Radio Free Europe report says that political parties are not sufficient to receive 4.2m euros annually from the state budget to cover their large expenses only during election campaigns.

Therefore, there are also candidates for MPs who have exploited their proximity to various businesses in Kosovo to provide financial support for the campaign.

There are huge costs in the media, social networking, advertising and billboards that are being placed in cities. In the past we have measured the expenses of political parties and based on the measurements we have made at the time has turned out that political parties have spent twice as much as they have stated at the CEC”, Arton Demhay from “; arise” tells Radio Free Europe.

But not all candidates for MPs also have financial support in one form or another.

Ardian Kastrati, who for the first time competes for deputies from the PDK ranks in the February 14th elections, conducts the campaign with his own means, with the help of family and friend. He daily holds dozens of meetings with citizens throughout Kosovo using his cousin's car.

I didn't pay any billboards, no commercials at any portal, no video spots on any TV and no other marketing. In all of Kosovo, at just one point, I have a family-sponsored poster, who have done it without asking me, with self-initiation. A videopot made me a friend of self-willing and the same is broadcast these two days in the freespace of RTK. My vision has given me a friend also with free will. With the help of my two friends and my personal budget, my campaign has so far cost 1100 euros (most fuel and drink for guests invited to my gatherings). And I opened Facebook eight days ago because I never had social networking.

The reason is simple. I can't share the finance for my campaign from my family budget because I don't have any other access to this election campaign, says Ardian Kastrati for Rtk.

Despite financial difficulties, Ardiani spends hundreds of miles each day listening to the problems and needs of Kosovo citizens. He for RTK says these meetings increase the motivation to become an MP every day and address citizens' problems institutionally.

I've considered that if I haven't been able to convince the citizen of my public presentation so that my voter feels represented by me, then even less can convince him with ads on portals,bilbode or through television videos”, says Ardian Kastrati, a candidate for deputy from PDK.

Some of the other political parties' officials have given different opinions about spending on the electoral campaign.

Lutfi Zharku from the Democratic League of Kosovo tells Radio Free Europe that the electoral campaign is being funded by the means they are separated annually from the state budget and that the declaration of spending on this campaign will do so after the election ends.

Even Vetevendosje Movement spokesman, Kryeziu Progress, for REL says the basic and main sources of funding are the Fund for democratisation of political subjects under the budget of the Republic of Kosovo, simultaneously, membership payments and voluntary donations from legal and physical persons.

Florent Spahija of the Kosovo Democratic Institute has declared for REL, that the expenditures declared by political parties are many times larger than what they spend during the campaign.

According to the REL, prices only for advertising materials on the Kosovo market in some companies dealing with the event are these: The printing of 10,000 cards between 100 and 150 euros, the personalization of pens 0.025 to 0.55 euros per piece. That's the same price for personal matches.

Meanwhile, prices range for billboards starting at 500 euros, according to the REL.