OSCE/ODIHR opens large-scale Election Observation Mission in Georgia
(OSCE)The OSCE/ODIHR's election observation mission to Georgia in autumn 2003 is one of the longest and largest ever in ODIHR's history. (OSCE)
WARSAW, 9 September 2003 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has established a large-scale, long-term Election Observation Mission to monitor the parliamentary elections in Georgia scheduled for 2 November.
"The forthcoming elections are crucial for the future democratic development of Georgia", said Julian Peel Yates, the Head of the Observation Mission. "It is now the responsibility of all actors involved in the elections, including the authorities, political parties, and civil society at large, to ensure a democratic electoral process."
At the invitation of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ODIHR will monitor the election process before, during, and after election day with one of the longest and largest observation missions ever deployed to an OSCE country.
Ten election experts at the Mission headquarters in the capital Tbilisi and 21 long-term observers in the regions will closely monitor and analyze the entire electoral process, including campaigning by political parties, the work of the election administration and of the local authorities, the media, and the legal framework, as well as election-day and appeals procedures.
Some 400 short-term observers, together with parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament, will be deployed throughout the country shortly before election day to monitor the voting, vote count, and tabulation of results.
On the day after the election, the Observation Mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. A comprehensive report will be issued approximately one month after the publication of final results.
The ODIHR Election Observation Mission will operate separately from the OSCE Mission to Georgia established in 1992 and headed by Ambassador Roy Reeve, which will continue to carry out its regular activities under its existing mandate.
"The forthcoming elections are crucial for the future democratic development of Georgia", said Julian Peel Yates, the Head of the Observation Mission. "It is now the responsibility of all actors involved in the elections, including the authorities, political parties, and civil society at large, to ensure a democratic electoral process."
At the invitation of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ODIHR will monitor the election process before, during, and after election day with one of the longest and largest observation missions ever deployed to an OSCE country.
Ten election experts at the Mission headquarters in the capital Tbilisi and 21 long-term observers in the regions will closely monitor and analyze the entire electoral process, including campaigning by political parties, the work of the election administration and of the local authorities, the media, and the legal framework, as well as election-day and appeals procedures.
Some 400 short-term observers, together with parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament, will be deployed throughout the country shortly before election day to monitor the voting, vote count, and tabulation of results.
On the day after the election, the Observation Mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. A comprehensive report will be issued approximately one month after the publication of final results.
The ODIHR Election Observation Mission will operate separately from the OSCE Mission to Georgia established in 1992 and headed by Ambassador Roy Reeve, which will continue to carry out its regular activities under its existing mandate.