News and press releases

The Acting Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Robert Wilton, has issued the following statement with regard to the Elections for Mayor in the municipality of Dibra on 11 September 2016, following the expiration of the deadline for appeals, 19 September 2016:...

MOSCOW, 19 September 2016- The 18 September State Duma elections in the Russian Federation were transparently administered by the Central Election Commission, but challenges to democratic commitments remain. The legal framework can serve as an adequate basis for elections, but the electoral environment was negatively affected by restrictions to fundamental freedoms and political rights, firmly controlled media and a tightening grip on civil society, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today...

COPENHAGEN, 13 September 2016 – Former President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ilkka Kanerva will lead the OSCE’s short-term observer mission to the 18 September vote in the Russian Federation. Kanerva, a member of parliament from Finland, was appointed Special Co-ordinator to lead the mission by OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in July...

MINSK, 12 September 2016 – The 11 September parliamentary elections were efficiently organized and there were visible efforts to address some long-standing issues, but a number of systemic shortcomings remain, the international observers concluded in a preliminary statement released today. The legal framework restricts political rights and fundamental freedoms and was interpreted in an overly restrictive manner. Media coverage did not enable voters to make an informed choice and, despite an overall increase in the number of candidates, including a significant number from the opposition, the campaign lacked visibility, the statement says...

PODGORICA, 8 September 2016 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 16 October parliamentary elections in Montenegro. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the authorities of Montenegro...

COPENHAGEN, 31 August 2016 – OSCE PA Vice-President Kent Harstedt (MP, Sweden), who is serving as Special Co-ordinator to lead the OSCE’s short-term observer mission for the 11 September parliamentary elections in Belarus, continued his pre-electoral work this week by meeting with President Alexander Lukashenko, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei...

TBILISI, 30 August 2016 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened an election observation mission for the 8 October parliamentary elections in Georgia. The mission’s deployment follows an official invitation from the Georgian authorities...