OSCE election body to observe early parliamentary elections in Serbia

WARSAW/BELGRADE, 3 April 2008 - The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has deployed a Limited Election Observation Mission to Serbia to observe the early parliamentary elections scheduled for 11 May 2008. The deployment follows an invitation from the Speaker of Serbia's National Assembly.

The mission is headed by Nikolai Vulchanov (Bulgaria) and consists of ten international experts based in Belgrade. In addition, 24 long-term observers are expected to be deployed across the country.

The mission will assess the electoral process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments for democratic elections, other international standards, and national legislation. It will focus on the election campaign, the legislative framework and its implementation, the media situation, the performance of the election administration and relevant government bodies, and the resolution of election-related disputes.

In view of past findings, the ODIHR will not deploy short-term observers and is not planning to systematically and comprehensively observe the voting, counting, and tabulation procedures on election day. Observers will, however, visit several polling stations across the country to follow the procedures.

The ODIHR will not observe the provincial and local elections, which take place simultaneously, but will follow them to the extent that their conduct impacts on the parliamentary elections.

The final report on the elections will be published approximately two months after the completion of the election process.

The Limited Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Serbia operate separately under their specific mandates.