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OSCE Mission to support local election monitoring in Serbia this weekend
BELGRADE 17 September 2004
BELGRADE, 17 September 2004 - The Belgrade-based non-governmental organization Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CESID) will extend its election monitoring activities during the municipal elections this Sunday with the financial support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro.
The 19 September local elections will be the first democratically organized local elections following the fall of the Milosevic regime in October 2000.
The significance of these local elections also lies in the fact that the new Law on Local Self-Government will provide local authorities with a broader range of responsibilities and with more power than local self-government bodies have had since the introduction of the multi-party system in Serbia.
"The local elections are an important step towards consolidating the democratic transformation of Serbia," Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Head of the OSCE Mission, said.
With the assistance of the OSCE Mission, CESID will be able to deploy 300 volunteers in 150 polling stations throughout Belgrade.
In addition, 150 volunteers organized in 50 mobile teams will visit polling stations in 17 municipalities in Vojvodina and Sandzak. They will report to CESID's central office on the voting procedure, focusing on election irregularities and incidents that may occur during Election Day. CESID will inform the public on any incidents or irregularities on polling day and submit a final report after the elections.
"Voters should grasp the opportunity offered to them on 19 September not only to have a direct say over the future of their municipality, but also to promote their country's progress towards integration into the European institutions," added OSCE Mission Head Massari.
The 19 September local elections will be the first democratically organized local elections following the fall of the Milosevic regime in October 2000.
The significance of these local elections also lies in the fact that the new Law on Local Self-Government will provide local authorities with a broader range of responsibilities and with more power than local self-government bodies have had since the introduction of the multi-party system in Serbia.
"The local elections are an important step towards consolidating the democratic transformation of Serbia," Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Head of the OSCE Mission, said.
With the assistance of the OSCE Mission, CESID will be able to deploy 300 volunteers in 150 polling stations throughout Belgrade.
In addition, 150 volunteers organized in 50 mobile teams will visit polling stations in 17 municipalities in Vojvodina and Sandzak. They will report to CESID's central office on the voting procedure, focusing on election irregularities and incidents that may occur during Election Day. CESID will inform the public on any incidents or irregularities on polling day and submit a final report after the elections.
"Voters should grasp the opportunity offered to them on 19 September not only to have a direct say over the future of their municipality, but also to promote their country's progress towards integration into the European institutions," added OSCE Mission Head Massari.