Europe's largest meeting of domestic election observers opens in Zagreb today

ZAGREB, 25 June 2003 - Domestic election observers from across Europe and other regions convene in Zagreb today to identify strategies to improve the effectiveness and professionalism of observer groups and address limitations to their work.

With over 30 observer groups represented, the five-day European Domestic Election Observer Forum is the largest meeting of its kind. The Forum is organized by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Network of Europeans for Electoral and Democracy Support (NEEDS), sponsored by the European Commission.

Over the past 15 years, domestic non-partisan civic organizations have played an important role in consolidating democratic transition. Thousands of citizens have joined domestic observer groups to monitor elections in their countries.

The value of domestic election observation is increasingly recognized by governments, but in several countries observer groups still face serious obstacles in carrying out their work.

The OSCE/ODIHR and the European Commission support the development of professional, credible and impartial domestic observer groups to strengthen their role in the consolidation of democracy throughout the region and beyond.

At the meeting, the OSCE/ODIHR will present a new handbook of best practice for domestic election observers, developed with the participation of domestic observer groups from across the OSCE region.

The European Commission-sponsored NEEDS project is planning to organize similar events in Africa, Asia and Latin America.