FINANCING OF STATUTORY ACTIVITIES OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN UKRAINE IN 2019 BY CITIZENS

Abstract

The problem of functioning of parties from the point of view of their financing and sources of income is considered. It is indicated that in Ukraine both individuals and legal entities can make contributions to parties and requirements for potential donors and the mechanism for transferring funds to parties are enshrined at the legislative level. Since 2016 Ukrainian parties have been required to submit financial reports to indicate all contributions in their favor. It has been established that during 2019 sixteen most rated and media parties («Bat`kivshhy`na», «Rady`kal`na partiya Olega Lyashka», «Sluga narodu», «Yevropejs`ka solidarnist`», «Opozy`cijny`j blok», «Golos», «Samopomich», «Ukrayins`ka strategiya Grojsmana», «Opozy`cijna platforma – Za zhy`ttya», «Narodny`j front», «Svoboda», «Sy`la i chest`», «Partiya Shariya», «Sy`la lyudej», «Ukrayins`ka galy`cz`ka partiya» and «Nash kraj») received contributions made by 10 533 individuals and 261 legal entities, which is about 0.026% of the population of Ukraine. But one recent poll on the financing of political parties shows that the proportion of Ukrainians willing to donate to parties is much higher, at about 12%. This indicates a significant gap between the actual state of affairs and the desires and capabilities of voters, which should be taken into account by representatives of political parties to reduce their dependence on the state and big business. It was also found out that the average contribution to these 16 parties for the year was about UAH 200,000 (about USD 7,200). It is concluded that, given the public interest in the topic of financing of political parties, in the future it will be necessary to analyze how the situation got changed in 2020.