OSCE/ODIHR opens election observation mission for early parliamentary elections in Ukraine

KYIV, 19 September 2014 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 26 October 2014 early parliamentary elections in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The mission is led by Tana de Zulueta and consists of 16 experts based in Kyiv and 80 long-term observers to be deployed across the country. In addition, ODIHR will request 600 short-term observers to monitor election day proceedings.  

The mission will assess the entire election process for compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will monitor the legislative framework and its implementation, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, campaign activities, media coverage and the resolution of election disputes.

In the course of observation, the mission will meet with representatives of relevant authorities and of political parties, as well as with candidates, and with representatives of the judiciary, 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 at all levels. For election day, the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission will join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and other parliamentary partners.  

The day after the elections, 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, the office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine operate separately under their specific mandates.

For further information, please see //www.osce.org/odihr/elections/ukraine or contact Pietro Tesfamariam, Media Analyst of the Election Observation Mission on +38 050 302 97 48 (Kyiv mobile) or at pietro.tesfamariam@odihr.org.ua (email).

or

Thomas Rymer, OSCE/ODIHR Spokesperson at: +48 609 522 266 (Warsaw mobile), +380 50 302 8446 (Kyiv mobile) or thomas.rymer@odihr.pl (e-mail).