The General Budget Office (Digepep) explained on Monday, in an official communication sent to the plenary session of the Central Electoral Council (JCE), that the funds provided by the state to be distributed to political parties were approved in the National Congress and that “they do not have the competence legal or material ”to change it.
The letter was sent to respond to the request sent by the electoral body requesting the release of all funds provided by the state to be distributed to political parties and not just half of those set in the national budget.
The communication signed by José Rijo Presbot, director of Digepep, established that the amount specified as a “special transfer of funds for political parties” was duly specified and approved by the Legislature, for a total of RD 630,200,000 USD.
“We welcome your (JCE’s) disposition and, at the same time, sympathize with your request for attachment and limited to the constant and permanent submission, to the principle of legality that governs the administration … there is no doubt that Law 33-18 for parties , groups and political movements, not even 15-19 regarding the electoral regime, expressly establish the exact amount of resources destined for this purpose ”, part of the document is read.
JCE President Román Jáquez Liranzo stated that this request is made in accordance with Law no. 237-20 approving the general state budget for 2021.
For this year 2021, the Executive Branch initially ordered the allocation of 1,260 million pesos to be distributed among political parties. However, according to the general state budget, only $ 630,200,000 RD will be allocated to political organizations, while the other half appears with the category “does not apply”.
“We request that the release intended to comply with the provisions of Article 61 of Law 33-18, on political parties, groups and movements regarding the economic contribution of political organizations, be for an amount of (RD 1,260,400.00 USD) and not half of the aforementioned amount, in accordance with the principle of legality ”, states the letter which is also signed by the other members of the plenary session.
Most parties expressed that this change was not approved by the Legislature and that it never agreed with them.
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, announced in October last year that he would propose to the National Congress to reduce 50% of the quota received by political parties, as 2021 was not electoral and will therefore use these resources to build the UASD expansion in Santo Domingo. It is.