OSCE/ODIHR opens limited observation mission for Latvia's parliamentary elections

RIGA, 7 September 2010 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited observation mission to monitor the 2 October parliamentary elections in Latvia.

ODIHR was invited by the Latvian Foreign Ministry to observe the election. OSCE commitments require all 56 participating States to invite the Organization to observe their elections.

The mission, headed by Nikolai Vulchanov of Bulgaria, comprises a core team of eight election experts who will be based in Riga, and four long-term observers who will work throughout the country.

The experts and long-term observers will assess the election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards, as well as with national legislation.

The mission will follow the entire election process, including campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, and the resolution of election-related disputes. The mission will also conduct comprehensive monitoring of the media. In addition, it will review recent legal amendments, including those pertaining to campaign finance, and will assess their impact on the elections.

In line with standard ODIHR practice for limited election observation missions, the mission will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting and tabulation on election day. Mission members will, however, visit a small number of polling stations across the country to follow election procedures.

A statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued on the day after the election. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be published approximately two months after the completion of the election process.