ZAGREB, March 4, 2018 - The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) posted a surplus of a little more than 6.5 million kuna in 2017, according to a financial statement for this ruling political party. Revenue in 2017 amounted to 50.5 million kuna, while expenditure amounted to 44 million kuna, resulting in a surplus of 6.5 million kuna, the HDZ said in a press release.
The most significant revenue relates to revenue pursuant to special regulations and amounts to 38.3 million kuna. These are funds paid from the state budget for each seat the HDZ won in the 151-seat parliament. Membership fees generated a revenue of 6.8 million kuna and a further 4.6 million kuna was received in donations.
The most significant expenditure relates to material costs - 29.7 million kuna; cost of employees - 8.4 million kuna, transfers for candidates running for county prefects and mayors at local elections - 3 million kuna; and the cost of current donations amounting to 1.4 million kuna.
The HDZ boasts of stabilisation of its financial state of affairs and of payment of debts, which it had incurred in the previous years.
On the other hand, the main opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) wrapped up 2017 with 5.7 million kuna in the red, according to a financial statement released recently on its website.
Last year, the party's total revenues came to 28.6 million kuna and expenses totalled 34.3 million kuna. At the beginning of 2018, the party transferred a debt of 6.6 million kuna from 2016 and the said debt from 2017, so the total gap in its budget was 12.42 million kuna.
In 2017, donations to the party totalled 613,000 kuna, down by 70,000 kuna compared to 2016.
Last year, the wage budget for professional employees in the party was slashed by 400,000 kuna to 5.75 million kuna.
The MOST party's revenues in 2017 came to 6.5 million kuna, and its expenditures totalled 8.3 million kuna, and as a result a loss of 1.7 million kuna was made last year. Nevertheless, that loss was offset by a surplus of 3.6 million kuna which this party had in 2016.
Broken down by the type of revenues, the largest portion of revenues referred to the funds allotted from the state budget for seats won in the national legislature (15), in town councils (63 throughout the country) plus 72 seats in county councils and 21 seats in municipal councils.
Donations for this parliamentary party in 2017 totalled 60,500 kuna. MOST started collecting membership fees in April 2017, and there are fee brackets depending on whether a member is an employed person, student or retiree.
A deadline for publication of 2017 financial statements of political parties, independent lawmakers and independent local councillors expired at midnight on 1 March 2018.
