PiS may be penalized for starting its election campaign too early

The TV campaign promoting Lech Kaczyński as a candidate for the presidency began last weekend. Its total cost together with the parliamentary campaign will amount to almost zł.30 million. According to Gazeta Wyborcza, PiS has collected over zł.20 million so far, so it will need to take loans to cover the shortfall, which might be later repaid from the state subsidies. However, on Wednesday the State Electoral Commission (PKW) issued a statement saying that political parties cannot finance radio and TV election ads before the formation of election committees. "Currently, parties cannot legally spend any money on election campaigns," declared Krzysztof Lorentz from the National Elections Office (KBW). "I'm amazed by the eagerness of the PKW," said Jarosław Kaczyński, "We have a right to promote our party, manifesto and politicians," said Kaczyński. Meanwhile, PiS lawyers prepared a legal opinion, which states that "promotional action" is not the same as election campaigning. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 4; Rzeczpospolita, p. A5) E.B.