OSCE/ODIHR opens limited observation mission for local elections in Moldova
CHISINAU, 14 May 2015 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission for the 14 June local elections in Moldova. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the authorities of Moldova.
The mission is led by Kimmo Kiljunen and consists of a core team of 12 experts based in Chisinau and 14 long-term observers to be deployed in teams of two across the country.
The mission will observe the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments, with other international obligations and standards for democratic elections and with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor the candidate and voter registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, campaign finance, the media environment and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.
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.
While the mission will visit a limited number of polling stations on election day, systematic observation of voting, counting or tabulation of results on election day is not envisaged.
The OSCE/ODIHR limited election observation mission will join with a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe in issuing a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions on the day after the elections. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be published by ODIHR approximately two months after the completion of the electoral process.
The OSCE/ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Moldova operate separately under their respective mandates.
For further information, please contact Giuseppe Milazzo, Media Analyst with the limited election observation mission, at +373 68 671 251 or at giuseppe.milazzo@odihr.md.
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Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at + 48 609 522 266 or at [email protected].