latest embassy news
Seminar on Political Campaign Finance Regulation at the American Center
24 May 2005
The International Republican Institute (IRI) Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe in collaboration with the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy in Vilnius is organizing a two-day seminar on the topic of campaign finance regulation.
The seminar will give a broad overview of campaign finance issues such as the utility and necessity of campaign and political party finance regulation to the healthy working of democracy, and an introduction to methods and techniques for bolstering a process of campaign finance reform.
Speakers from the USA, the OSCE, and Slovakia will present an overview of best practices in political finance in the OSCE region, the American experience with campaign finance regulation in single-member-district elections, and finally the Slovak experience with civic watch-dogging of financing of political parties and candidates.
For representatives of NGOs and media, the seminar will take place on 25 May 2005 in the conference room of the American Center, Pranciškonų 3/6, Vilnius. For topics and time schedule, please see the seminar agenda below.
All interested media representatives are invited to participate and, if desired, cover the seminar. All presentations are on-the-record.
Participation is free. Registration required. You can confirm your participation with the staff of the American Center in Vilnius at tel. (370 5) 266 0330 or by e-mail litevkaitea@state.gov .
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Parliamentarians, Government and State Representatives Session
09:30 – 10:00 Registration and Coffee
10:00 – 10:30 Welcome and Introduction – Thomas P. Kelly, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States to Lithuania
10:30 – 11:30 Overview of Campaign and Party Finance in the OSCE Region – Holly Ruthrauff, Election Advisor, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE, Warsaw
11:30 – 12:30 Trial and Error: Experiences in Slovak Campaign and Party Finance Reform – Zuzana Wienk, Executive Director, Fair Play Alliance, Bratislava, Slovakia
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch – Freskos Restaurant, Didzioji 31
Coffee – The American Center
14:30 – 16:00 An Ongoing Controversy: The American Approach to Campaign Finance Reform – Eric Dell, Esq., Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel to Congressman Joe Wilson
(R-SC), United States House of Representatives
16:00 – 16:30 Conclusion, Questions, and Answers – Jan Surotchak, Director, International Republican Institute Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, Bratislava, Slovakia
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Civil Society Session
09:30 – 10:00 Registration & Coffee
10:00 – 10:30 Welcome and Introduction – Jan Surotchak, Director, International Republican Institute Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, Bratislava, Slovakia
10:30 – 11:30 Overview of Campaign and Party Finance in the OSCE Region – Holly Ruthrauff, Election Advisor, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE, Warsaw
11:30 – 12:30 Trial and Error: Experiences in Slovak Campaign and Party Finance Reform – Zuzana Wienk, Executive Director, Fair Play Alliance, Bratislava, Slovakia
12:30 – 14:30 Lunch – Freskos Restaurant, Didzioji 31
Coffee – The American Center
14:30 – 16:00 An Ongoing Controversy: The American Approach to Campaign Finance Reform – Eric Dell, Esq., Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel to Congressman Joe Wilson
(R-SC), United States House of Representatives
16:00 – 16:30 Conclusion, Questions, and Answers – Jan Surotchak, Director, International Republican Institute Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe, Bratislava, Slovakia
