OSCE Kosovo Mission to transfer election operations to local body
(OSCE)Voters in the village of Gjonaj take part in Kosovo's Municipal Elections on 26 October 2002. (OSCE) Photo details
PRISTINA, 8 August 2003 - The OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OMiK) will begin to transfer some of its operational responsibilities for elections to a permanent Secretariat of the Central Election Commission (CEC), while maintaining an advisory role within the electoral process.
The CEC, which yesterday decided to establish a CEC Secretariat to manage the local elections, is the body responsible for elections in Kosovo.
"Establishing the independent CEC Secretariat is a first and important step to Kosovo taking greater ownership of its future elections," said Rolf van Uye, the Acting Head of OMiK.
The responsibilities of the CEC Secretariat will involve planning and management in the areas of field and training co-ordination, certification of political parties, accreditation of observers, and election-related public information. This independent and technical body will play a crucial role in the preparations for transparent and efficient elections.
Fourteen permanent staff members will be recruited immediately to allow for their initial training over the coming months. The CEC Secretariat must swiftly become fully operational in order to play a key role in the running and organizing of the Kosovo Assembly election in 2004.
Local institutions will gradually take over the local level administration of the election process in the future. OMiK, as part of its institution building mandate, is working to ensure the sustainability of bodies set up to administer elections in Kosovo at the central and municipal level.
The CEC, which yesterday decided to establish a CEC Secretariat to manage the local elections, is the body responsible for elections in Kosovo.
"Establishing the independent CEC Secretariat is a first and important step to Kosovo taking greater ownership of its future elections," said Rolf van Uye, the Acting Head of OMiK.
The responsibilities of the CEC Secretariat will involve planning and management in the areas of field and training co-ordination, certification of political parties, accreditation of observers, and election-related public information. This independent and technical body will play a crucial role in the preparations for transparent and efficient elections.
Fourteen permanent staff members will be recruited immediately to allow for their initial training over the coming months. The CEC Secretariat must swiftly become fully operational in order to play a key role in the running and organizing of the Kosovo Assembly election in 2004.
Local institutions will gradually take over the local level administration of the election process in the future. OMiK, as part of its institution building mandate, is working to ensure the sustainability of bodies set up to administer elections in Kosovo at the central and municipal level.