2012
Serbia's elections open and highly competitive, additional transparency needed
BELGRADE, 7 May 2012 – Serbia's parliamentary and early presidential elections on 6 May 2012 took place in an open and competitive environment but additional efforts are needed to improve the transparency of the election process and the functioning of the media, observers said in a statement issued today.
Observers noted that voters were provided with a wide degree of choice between various political options and contestants were able to campaign freely. Most electoral stakeholders expressed a high degree of confidence in the professionalism of the election administration. On election day, commissions carried out their duties professionally. Certain procedural problems were noted but no serious incidents took place.
Armenian elections competitive and largely peaceful, but shortcomings undermined confidence in the process, observers say
YEREVAN, 7 May 2012 – Sunday's parliamentary elections in Armenia featured a vibrant and largely peaceful campaign, with overall balanced media coverage, but pressure on voters and a deficient complaints process created an unequal playing field, the international election observers said Monday.
Observers noted a campaign environment that generally respected freedoms of assembly and expression and candidates were, for the most part, able to campaign freely. But the general lack of confidence in the integrity of the process amongst political parties and the general public is an issue of great concern.
De Donnea, Mecacci to lead upcoming OSCE election observation missions in Armenia, Serbia
COPENHAGEN, 3 April 2012 – The OSCE Chair-in-Office, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore, has appointed François-Xavier De Donnea of Belgium and Matteo Mecacci of Italy to serve as special co-ordinators to lead the OSCE election observation missions to the 6 May elections in Armenia and Serbia, respectively.
In accordance with the 1997 Co-operation Agreement, De Donnea and Mecacci will deliver the post-election statements on behalf of the OSCE at news conferences in Yerevan and Belgrade on 7 May.
Picula: Russian election featured 'serious problems' from the start
MOSCOW, 5 March 2012 – Although candidates in yesterday's presidential election in the Russian Federation were able to campaign unhindered, conditions were clearly skewed in favour of one of the contestants, current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the international observers concluded in a statement issued today.
"There were serious problems from the very start of this election. The point of elections is that the outcome should be uncertain. This was not the case in Russia. There was no real competition and abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt," said Tonino Picula, the Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission and Head of the delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
PA participates in Serbia Needs Assessment Mission
COPENHAGEN, 16 February 2012 – The OSCE PA was represented by Deputy Director for Field Operations Roberto Montella on an election Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Serbia on 8-10 February, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Parliamentary elections are expected to be held in Serbia this spring.
NAM participants met with all the major players to discuss the political situation in Serbia and the usefulness of carrying out an election observation of the upcoming elections. The participants were informed that while Serbians have a high degree of trust in their elections, an election observation mission would be welcome.
Kazakhstan’s parliamentary vote, though well administered, did not meet key democratic principles
ASTANA, 16 January 2012 – Notwithstanding the government's stated ambition to strengthen Kazakhstan's democratic processes and conduct elections in line with international standards, yesterday's early parliamentary vote still did not meet fundamental principles of democratic elections, the international observers concluded in a statement issued today.
The elections were well administered at the technical level and the observers noted legal changes aimed at ensuring representation of at least a second party in parliament, but the authorities did not provide the necessary conditions for the conduct of genuinely pluralistic elections. Several political parties were blocked from standing and a number of candidates were de-registered without due process.
