OSCE/ODIHR opens observation mission for parliamentary elections in Montenegro
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.
The mission is led by Roman Jakič and consists of a core team of 12 experts based in Podgorica and 12 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country in teams of two, from 15 September. In addition, ODIHR will request that OSCE participating States provide 100 short-term observers. The short-term observers are due to arrive several days before election day.
The mission will assess these elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor voter registration, 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. As part of the observation, the mission will also monitor the media coverage of the campaign.
In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives from state authorities, political parties and candidates, as well as from civil society, the media and the international community.
On election day, observers will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results. For election day, the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission plans to join efforts with delegations from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The mission will publish one interim report in the course of its work. The day after the elections, a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire election process, including recommendations, will be published approximately two months after the completion of the electoral process.
The OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro operate separately and independently under their own mandates.
For further information, please contact Egor Tilpunov, Media Analyst with the election observation mission, at +382 20673924; +382 67618925, or egor.tilpunov@odihr.me
or
Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at + 48 609 522 266 or thomas.rymer@odihr.pl.