The budget of special elections of the President of Ukraine, scheduled for 25 May 2014, is 1 billion 174 million 800 thousand UAH. It includes campaigning expenses (placards, TV debates etc.) in amount of 6,456,960.00 UAH, and 824,320.00 UAH for the conduction of the second round.
Campaigning activities are mostly financed from special accounts electoral fund of candidates, which should be created by every presidential candidate, according to the Article 37(3) of section VI of the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine. These funds should be filled with candidate's personal funds, funds of the party which nominated him (not limited), or donations from physical persons (limited to 487,200.00 UAH). Voluntary donations can't be made in cash, by foreign citizens, or anonymously. Voluntary donations from citizens are quite widespread in many countries. In particular, on 2012 Parliamentary elections in USA, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney collected almost 1 billion dollars each, and 70% of this money was donated by citizens. As for anonymous donations, they are allowed if smaller than 10 thousand Euros.
Only two Presidential candidates collect campaigning funds publicly and report their expenditure – Olha Bohomolets and Anatolii Hrytsenko. Olha Bohomolets declares all her electoral expenses, but never gives the names of donors. Anatolii Hrytsenko declares only general receipts and expenditures.
Election campaigning – is any activities, aimed to urge the voters to vote or not to vote in favor of the certain candidate for the President of Ukraine. Election campaigning can be in any form and conducted by any means, which don't contradict the Constitution of Ukraine and Ukrainian laws.According to the Article 58 of the Section VIII of the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine, election campaigning may have the following forms:
1) citizen assemblies, meetings with voters;
2) meetings, marches, demonstrations, pickets;
3) public debates, discussions, roundtables, and press-conferences regarding statements in election programs and political activities of parties, which are subjects of the election process, or candidates for the President of Ukraine;
4) political advertising in printed, audio and visual (electronic) media, speeches, interviews, essays, films, audio and video clips, and other publications and information messages;
5) leaflets, placards, and other printed campaign materials or editions, containing campaigning materials;
6) printed campaign materials or political advertising on outdoor advertising means;
7) concerts, performances, sporting events, film shows, television broadcasts, and other public events organized in support of the party, which are subjects of the election process, or candidates for the President of Ukraine, or announcement of information about such support;
8) public appeals to vote or not to vote in favor of the certain candidate for the President of Ukraine, or public statements about a Presidential candidate;
9) campaigning tents;
10) other forms which don't contradict the Constitution of Ukraine and laws of Ukraine.
Election campaigning also includes calls not to vote for the certain candidate by his opponent. However, the "campaigning against" shouldn't be confused with black PR.
Notes:
FAQ — frequently asked questions.