Over 200 OSCE observers to monitor Slovak elections

COPENHAGEN, 18 September 1998 - Ms. Helle Degn, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Chairman of the Danish Foreign Affairs Committee, will arrive in Bratislava next week to lead the OSCE observers for the Parliamentary Elections in Slovakia on 25-26 September 1998. As Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Gemerek, Ms Degn will lead more than 200 international observers deployed by OSCE throughout the country and deliver the preliminary assessment in conjunction with other appropriate officials on behalf of the international community on Saturday 26 September.

The OSCE observer team includes representatives of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from the Parliaments of thirteen OSCE countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey and the USA, as well as delegations from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament.

The OSCE Election Observation Mission is a joint effort between the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and includes long- and short-term observers from OSCE participating States. The OSCE Observation Mission will assess the conduct of the elections, the political campaign and the role of the media. Long-term observers have already been deployed for several weeks across the country. Next week the short-term observers will be deployed in the Slovak Republic by the OSCE Election Observation Mission.

For further information contact Mr. Jan Jooren, Press Counsellor of the OSCE PA, tel + 45 33 32 94 00 or from 22-27 September in Bratislava, tel + 42 1 75 34 81 11, fax + 42 1 75 31 46 45