OSCE/ODIHR opens election observation mission for presidential and early parliamentary elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
SKOPJE, 10 March 2014 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 13 April presidential and 27 April early parliamentary elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to observe the presidential election, and in anticipation of an invitation for the early parliamentary elections.
The mission is led by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens and consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Skopje and 20 long-term observers to be deployed across the country.
The mission will assess both elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will assess the legislative framework and its implementation, and will closely monitor the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities, the media environment and the resolution of election-related disputes.
In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives from state authorities, political parties and candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community. On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.
The mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions on the day after the presidential election, as well as the day after the early parliamentary elections. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately two months after the end of the electoral process.
The OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Skopje operate separately under their specific mandates.
For further information, please contact Egor Tilpunov, Media Analyst of the Election Observation Mission on +389 77 584 852 (mobile) or at [email protected] (email).
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Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, on + 48 609 522 266 (mobile) or at [email protected] (email)