Reform over €750,000 in the black in 2018

The opposition Reform Party, who in recent years had faced a complicated financial situation, earned revenue in the amount of nearly €2 million while spending €1.2 million last year.
The Reform Party's gross income in 2018 totalled €1,965,659, which consisted of state subsidies in the amount of €1,607,822, €326,437 in donations, €27,505 in membership dues as well as €3,895 in revenue accrued from party assets.
During the same period, the party's expenditures totalled €1,211,623, leaving the Reform Party with a total of €754,036 in net assets last year.
In 2017, in comparison, Reform likewise brought in nearly €2 million, but spent a total of nearly €3 million. That year saw €1.3 million spent on advertising alone in connection with the 2017 local government elections; last year, in contrast, the party spent just €121,000 on advertising.
Reform has also managed savings in other areas as well, however. For example, the party's labour costs decreased from €700,000 in 2017 to €600,000 in 2018, while management costs were down from €315,000 in 2017 to under €200,000 last year.
Sõõrumaa biggest donor
According to the quarterly reports published by the Estonian Supervisory Committee on Party Financing (ERJK), Reform earned €566,703 and spent €407,718 in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The party's revenues last quarter consisted of €401,955 in state subsidies, €153,648 in donations, €7,547 in membership dues and €3,552 in revenue accrued from party assets.
274 people donated money and 478 people paid membership dues to the Reform Party last year. The largest cash donation was made by businessman Urmas Sõõrumaa, who donated €50,000 to the opposition party. Neeme Tammis, Väino Kaldoja and Märt Vooglaid also each donated €10,000, while Hillar Teder and Eerik-Niiles Kross donated another €5,000 each.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, Reform spent a total of €202,680 on political activity, including €116,419 on advertising. Labour costs last quarter totalled €154,870, while management costs totalled €50,169.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla