OSCE Special Co-ordinator visits Belarus ahead of presidential election observation
Kent Harstedt (left), the Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE’s short-term observers for Belarusian presidential election, meets with Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, Minsk, 22 September.COPENHAGEN, 24 September 2015 – The Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE’s short-term observers for the presidential election in Belarus, Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden), met with high-level officials and a range of other interlocutors in Minsk and Homel this week to discuss the preparations and environment for the upcoming vote.
“I thank the Belarusian authorities for their timely invitation and their close co-operation with OSCE observers. This election represents a pivotal moment for Belarus and I have encouraged the government to seize this opportunity and demonstrate its ambition of holding free and fair elections,” Special Co-ordinator Harstedt said at the conclusion of his visit.
On 21 and 22 September in Minsk, Harstedt met with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei; Central Election Commission Chairperson Lidia Yermoshina; members of the Belarusian Delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, led by Viktor Guminsky; and analysts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) long-term observer mission.
He also met with a number of prominent opposition figures, including Syarhey Kalyakin and Anatol Lyabedzka, who had launched initiative groups for the presidential election.
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will not send observers to Azerbaijan if ODIHR does not, says PA President
COPENHAGEN, 23 September 2015 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva decided last week that no OSCE PA delegation will deploy to observe the 1 November parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, in line with an earlier decision made by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The President announced his decision during the Assembly’s Autumn Meeting, saying on 17 September that if ODIHR would not send observers due to restrictions imposed by the Azerbaijani authorities, then neither would the Parliamentary Assembly.
Speaking at the PA’s Standing Committee meeting last week in Ulaanbaatar, President Kanerva said, “The Azerbaijan government has imposed restrictions on the work of our traditional OSCE partner, ODIHR. As a result, ODIHR has been forced to cancel their planned observation mission in Azerbaijan. I think it is only appropriate that if our very vital and close partner ODIHR cannot observe, that we also don’t observe in Azerbaijan.”
OSCE parliamentarians to observe presidential election in Belarus, advance visit this week
COPENHAGEN, 22 September 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming presidential election in Belarus and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic has designated Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden) as Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission for the 11 October vote.
James Walsh (MP, Ireland) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Delegation, which will include more than 50 MPs from 22 OSCE participating States.
“The OSCE’s assessments of previous elections in Belarus show that there is major need for improvement in fundamental areas, including the need to ensure a level playing field for all candidates. Belarus has recently been in the international news for hosting negotiations on the Ukraine crisis, but the international community will be watching this election closely – and I hope we will see concrete improvements that will enable us to report some positive news on the day after the election,” Harstedt said.
OSCE parliamentarians to observe upcoming elections in Kyrgyzstan
COPENHAGEN, 18 September 2015 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission.
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic has designated Christine Muttonen (MP, Austria) as Special Co-ordinator to lead the OSCE’s short-term observers for the 4 October vote. Ivana Dobesova (MP, Czech Republic) will serve as Head of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Delegation, which will include 31 MPs from 16 OSCE participating States.
“The upcoming parliamentary elections will be another important test for democracy in Kyrgyzstan. My observers and I look forward to seeing how new procedures, such as biometric voter-identification, will work in practice, and whether they can help maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Improving elections would further consolidate the democracy that Kyrgyzstan’s people have fought for,” Muttonen said.