Law gets tough on Nice funds

ANYONE outside politics campaigning in the Nice referendum who makes false donation statements faces a fine of €25,394 and/or three years in jail.

The Public Offices Commission (POC) issued this warning yesterday to any person, group or corporate body outside political parties who accepts donations during the upcoming Nice campaign. This tough law is part of a series of regulations brought in at the start of this year aimed at cleaning up the area of political donations. "They must send in statements of donations to us by March 31 next year refusing to send in a statement is just not an option," a Commission spokesman said.

The new regulations brought in under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 came into effect this January. They state that: