14 February 2005

Election Observation Mission Deployed to Macedonia
Team to observe March 13 local elections

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has deployed an Election Observation Mission to monitor the March 13 local elections in Macedonia, in response to an invitation from the foreign ministry.

The mission includes 11 international staff based at the Skopje head office and 20 long-term observers deployed countrywide. The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has requested 250 short-term observers to be deployed shortly before election day. The mission will assess the election process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections, and national legislation.

Following is an OSCE announcement:

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Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
February 14, 2005

OSCE/ODIHR ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION OPENED IN SKOPJE

SKOPJE/WARSAW, 14 February 2005 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has deployed an Election Observation Mission to monitor the forthcoming local elections in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in response to an invitation from the Foreign Ministry.

On 13 March, voters will elect municipal councils and mayors throughout the country, including Skopje. In those municipalities where no mayoral candidate receives at least 50 per cent of the votes cast, with a minimum turnout of one third of the registered voters, a second round of voting should take place within 14 days thereafter.

The Mission, headed by Mr Julian Peel Yates of the United Kingdom, includes 11 international staff based at the Skopje head office and 20 long-term observers deployed countrywide, from 14 OSCE participating States.

The Mission will assess the entire election process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections, and national legislation. It will focus on the campaign period, the legislative framework and its implementation, the media situation, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies and the resolution of disputes.

The ODIHR has requested 250 short-term observers to be deployed shortly before election day. They will be deployed around the country in teams of two to monitor the opening of polling stations, voting and counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results.

On the day after the election, the Mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. A comprehensive final report will be released about six weeks after the completion of the process.

The ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje operate entirely separately and independently under their specific mandates.

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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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