Newsroom
OSCE election observers not yet welcome in Belarus
WARSAW 30 July 2001
WARSAW, 30 July 2001 (OSCE) - The Belarusian authorities today informed the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) that it should delay deployment of its Mission to observe the upcoming Presidential election. The mission was to have been deployed on 1 August.
"I'm extremely disappointed by this decision", said ODIHR Director Gerard Stoudmann. "Every day that our arrival is delayed reduces our ability to conduct the kind of professional observation we undertake in other OSCE countries. The ODIHR presence is intended to enhance the electoral process; delaying our arrival only serves to erode both domestic and international confidence in the election."
Five ODIHR staff were to arrive in Minsk on 1 August as the first contingent of a long term observation team for the Presidential election scheduled for 9 September. Among the tasks of the observation mission are to monitor the candidate registration process and the formation of local election commissions, both important electoral steps currently underway.
The ODIHR first officially informed the Belarusian Government on 9 July of its plans to deploy a full-fledged observation mission beginning on 1 August. It has since reiterated its intentions both publicly and privately.
All OSCE participating States, including Belarus, are obligated as part of their OSCE commitments to invite the ODIHR to observe their elections. The ODIHR is the principal election observation body in Europe.
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For further information, please contact Hrair Balian, Head of the ODIHR Election Section, +48 603 793 781 (mobile), or Andrew Bruce, ODIHR Election Adviser, +48 605 308 365 (mobile).
"I'm extremely disappointed by this decision", said ODIHR Director Gerard Stoudmann. "Every day that our arrival is delayed reduces our ability to conduct the kind of professional observation we undertake in other OSCE countries. The ODIHR presence is intended to enhance the electoral process; delaying our arrival only serves to erode both domestic and international confidence in the election."
Five ODIHR staff were to arrive in Minsk on 1 August as the first contingent of a long term observation team for the Presidential election scheduled for 9 September. Among the tasks of the observation mission are to monitor the candidate registration process and the formation of local election commissions, both important electoral steps currently underway.
The ODIHR first officially informed the Belarusian Government on 9 July of its plans to deploy a full-fledged observation mission beginning on 1 August. It has since reiterated its intentions both publicly and privately.
All OSCE participating States, including Belarus, are obligated as part of their OSCE commitments to invite the ODIHR to observe their elections. The ODIHR is the principal election observation body in Europe.
--
For further information, please contact Hrair Balian, Head of the ODIHR Election Section, +48 603 793 781 (mobile), or Andrew Bruce, ODIHR Election Adviser, +48 605 308 365 (mobile).