OSCE/ODIHR deploys observers to monitor parliamentary elections in Croatia

ZAGREB, 29 October 2003 - The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has opened an Election Observation Mission to monitor the elections to the Croatian parliament (Sabor) scheduled for 23 November, with deployment of 19 international experts from 17 OSCE participating States.

The Election Observation Mission, headed by Ian Mitchell from Canada, includes seven international staff based at the Zagreb head office and 12 long-term observers deployed in the regions.

At the invitation of the Croatian Foreign Ministry, the Mission will assess the election process in terms of compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections and national legislation. It will focus on the election campaign, the legislative framework and its implementation, the media, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies, and the complaints and appeals process. The ODIHR will not request short-term observers to monitor voting at the polling stations on election day.

On the day after the election, the Observation Mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. A comprehensive final report will be released approximately one month after the completion of the election process.

The OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Croatia operate separately under their specific mandates.