OSCE/ODIHR opens observation mission for presidential election in Ukraine

KYIV, 6 February 2019 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission (EOM) for the 31 March presidential election in Ukraine. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Ukrainian authorities.

The mission is led by Ambassador Peter Tejler and includes a core team of 17 experts based in Kyiv. ODIHR has also requested that OSCE participating States provide 100 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country in international teams of two from 13 February. In addition, the Office will request that the participating States provide 750 short-term observers, who will arrive several days before election day.

The mission will assess the presidential election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, 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 and political parties, as well as with candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community. The mission will publish an interim report in the course of its work.

On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.

The day after the elections, the mission, together with parliamentary delegations, including from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference in Kyiv. ODIHR will issue a final report on the observation approximately eight weeks after the end of the electoral process.

For further information, please see https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/ukraine/407660 or contact Francesca Boggeri, Media Analyst of the Election Observation Mission, on +380 67 339 6228 (mobile) or at Francesca.boggeri@odihr.org.ua 

or

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, on + 48 609 522 266 (mobile) or at thomas.rymer@odihr.pl