OSCE/ODIHR opens election observation mission for municipal elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | WPN World People News

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Monday formally opened an election observation mission for the 24 March 2013 municipal elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Petrovec during the second round of Skopje's presidential and municipal elections on 5 April 2009. OSCE/ODIHR has previously deployed 11 election observation missions to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The mission is led by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens and consists of 11 experts based in Skopje and 16 long-term observers to be deployed across the country.

The mission will assess the municipal elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with domestic legislation. Observers will closely monitor election-related legislation and its implementation, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, the media environment, and the resolution of election-related disputes.

In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives from relevant authorities and political parties, as well as with candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community.

The day after the election, the mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. 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.

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe