Legal Opinions and Comments

On 17 September 2024, the Second Vice-President of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament), Mr. Arvo Aller, submitted a request to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to review the legislative framework governing internet voting in Estonia's parliamentary, local, and European Parliament elections. The Opinion and the analysis presented herein are a response to this request.

A comprehensive review of Montenegro’s existing legal framework governing elections and political parties to assess compliance with international standards and OSCE commitments, ensure effective implementation and inform future reform efforts.

The main purpose of this Opinion is to analyze the Draft Act on the Registration of Foreign Agents (Draft Act) in Bulgaria, which although rejected by the Parliament on 5 February 2025, may be reintroduced in its existing or similar form. The present analysis aims to provide an overview of the key human rights concerns stemming from this draft legislation from the perspective of international human rights standards and OSCE human dimension commitments, primarily the rights to freedom of association and freedom of expression, but also other rights, including the right to respect for private life, the right to participate in public affairs, and the right to non-discrimination.