Local Elections, 24 March 2013
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Mission at a glance
- Head of Mission: Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens (Germany)
- Core team of 11 staff from 9 participating States
- 16 long-term observers to be deployed throughout the country
- 300 short-term observers to be requested from participating States
Mission schedule
25 February: Opening press conference
2 March: Deployment of long-term observers
20 March: Arrival of short-term observers
21 March: Briefing of short-term observers
22 March: Deployment of short-term observers
24 March: Election day
25 March: Press conference on preliminary findings and conclusions
26 March: Departure of short-term observers
30 March: Re-deployment of long-term observers
7 April: Election day: second round of elections
10 April: Departure of long-term observers
12 April: Departure of the core team
Press Conference
Following an official invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and based on the findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission, the OSCE/ODIHR has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the 24 March and 7 April municipal elections. In the case of a second round of the elections, the EOM will remain in country to continue its observation.
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM and the OSCE Mission to Skopje operate separately under their specific mandates.
Long-term observation
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM, headed by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, consists of 11 international experts based in Skopje. In addition, 16 long-term observers will be deployed throughout the country from 2 March, 2013.
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM will assess the municipal elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with domestic 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.
Election Day
The OSCE/ODIHR will request 300 short-term observers to be deployed immediately prior to the 24 March elections. The short-term observers will be deployed throughout the country in multinational teams of two to monitor the opening of polling stations, the voting, the counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results.
The day after the election, ODIHR will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.
Previous elections
The OSCE/ODIHR has observed twelve elections in the country, most recently the 2011 early parliamentary elections.