ODIHR experts discuss electoral recommendations in North Macedonia
Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report and recommendations of the observation mission to the 17 and 31 October 2021 local elections in North Macedonia during a visit to Skopje from 20 to 23 June.
The ODIHR experts met with representatives of the State Election Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the State Audit Office, the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption and the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services. Meetings were also held with representatives of the parliament, media, civil society and the international community.
The ODIHR experts reiterated that while the elections were generally well-administered despite challenges in implementing new technologies for the biometric identification of voters, the electoral legal framework still requires substantial review. The experts urged the government and other stakeholders to take immediate steps to renew the electoral reform process.
ODIHR drew attention to its priority recommendations, such as creating more equitable conditions for electoral campaigns and political advertising, enhancing the capacity of election management bodies and creating additional mechanisms to ensure transparency in political and campaign financing. The implementation of gender-related electoral recommendations was also discussed during a dedicated stakeholder meeting.
The authorities presented their ongoing projects and initiatives and shared their additional recommendations for potential legal reforms. The meetings also highlighted opportunities for ODIHR’s potential engagement to assist the authorities in implementing the electoral recommendations. This may include providing a formal review of the electoral legal framework and participating in the working group on electoral reforms, supporting efforts to implement electronic tools for the financial reporting of political parties and assisting in the development of strategies for regulating and ensuring adequate transparency of online political campaigns and expenditures.
All OSCE participating States have committed to promptly follow up on ODIHR electoral assessments and recommendations.