OSCE/ODIHR opens limited observation mission for early parliamentary elections in Montenegro

PODGORICA, 14 September 2012 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened a limited election observation mission to monitor the 14 October early parliamentary elections in Montenegro.

The mission's deployment follows an invitation from the Montenegrin authorities. As a participating State of the OSCE, Montenegro has committed itself to invite ODIHR to observe its elections.

The mission is led by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens and consists of a core team, based in Podgorica, and 12 long-term observers to be deployed throughout the country.

The mission will assess the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

The mission will follow the entire electoral process, including the legal framework and its implementation, campaign activities, the work of the election administration, minority participation and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of its observation, the ODIHR mission will conduct comprehensive monitoring of the media. The mission will meet with representatives from relevant authorities and political parties, as well as with candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community.

For election-day observation, the ODIHR limited election observation mission will also join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In line with ODIHR’s methodology for limited election observation missions, the mission will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting and tabulation on election day. Mission members will, however, visit a number of polling stations across the country to follow election day procedures.

A statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued on the day after the election. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be published approximately two months after the completion of the election process.

The OSCE/ODIHR limited election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro operate separately under their specific mandates.

For further information contact: Alice Colombi, LEOM Media Analyst, at +382 67 879 759 (mobile) or AC@odihr.me (email).