OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Lajčak and Ukraine Foreign Minister Klimkin discuss upcoming Ukrainian presidential election during phone call

Bratislava, 8 February 2019 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Miroslav Lajčák, today called the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin to discuss the upcoming 31 March 2019 presidential election in Ukraine. Among various issues addressed by the ministers was the support of OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in observing the upcoming election, provided in response to an official invitation from Ukraine.

Reiterating the Slovak Chair’s staunch and steadfast support for Ukraine, the Minister also expressed his deep regret about the 7 February passing of a law in the Vrkhovna Rada that would deny accreditation to international election observers, including within the ODIHR Election Observation Mission to Ukraine, who hold passports from the Russian Federation..

“The independence, impartiality and professionalism of ODIHR’s election observation is crucial,” Lajčák said, adding, “I am convinced that ODIHR’s request for accreditation of all its observers is in the best interest of the OSCE, Ukraine and its people. Observers sent to take part in ODIHR’s election observation missions represent the organization, not their respective countries.

Lajčák therefore called upon the Ukrainian authorities to continue to explore all possible avenues for a solution that would allow all ODIHR observers to be accredited for these elections.