CORRECTION: OSCE/ODIHR Director Link congratulates Roberto Montella on election as Secretary General of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
PLEASE NOTE: BELOW IS THE CORRECTED VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE
WARSAW, 6 July 2015 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today congratulated Italy’s Roberto Montella on his election as Secretary General of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA).
“I am really looking forward to working as closely as possible with Roberto Montella on strengthening further the co-operation between ODIHR and the Assembly, and to continue to look for additional ways to work together to promote democracy, rule of law, human rights and tolerance and non-discrimination in the OSCE area,” the ODIHR Director said. “His more than 15 years of OSCE experience – including more than five years with the Parliamentary Assembly – will serve Mr. Montella well in this new position.”
Over the period from 1999 to 2009, Montella served in OSCE Missions to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Kosovo and to Serbia and Montenegro as International Election Officer, Political Affairs Officer, Programme Co-ordinator and Executive Advisor to the Head of the OSCE Mission.
He was elected by the OSCE PA Standing Committee on the opening day of the Assembly’s 2015 Annual Session in Helsinki. Montella’s term will begin January 1, succeeding Spencer Oliver, who has served in the position since the OSCE PA’s establishment in 1992.
“I am sure his broad experience and abilities will be of great benefit both to the OSCE PA and to ODIHR in our joint activities,” Director Link said.