Observation mission ODIHR/OSCE starts its work in Armenia
22.03.2012,
19:57
Observation mission ODIHR/OSCE starts its work in Armenia, said the Head of Mission Radmila Sekerinska on Thursday in the press-conference.
YEREVAN, March 22. /ARKA/. Observation mission ODIHR/OSCE starts its work in Armenia, said the Head of Mission Radmila Sekerinska on Thursday in the press-conference.
299 observers of ODIHR/OSCE will follow the upcoming parliament elections in Armenia.
“24 long-term observers from 17 OSCE countries will arrive at Armenia next week. The team of 13 international experts will be the backbone of our mission”, she said.
Sekerinska said that international experts will assess correspondence of elections to the principles of democratic system, obligations of Armenia as OSCE member and local legislation.
“On the eve of elections 250 short-term observers will arrive at Armenia who will follow directly the voting process, calculation of votes and summing up. Short-term observers will be divided into groups of two and go to the poll-stations throughout the country”, she said.
Sekerinska also said that the main goal of the mission in Armenia is the implementation of monitoring of pre-election campaign, media environment and resolution of disputes occurred during the elections.
She said that the mission will publish three intermediate reports, make an announcement on the results of the elections the next day after completion of voting, and the final report will be submitted in 8 weeks after the elections.
“I would like to mention that our mission considers only the facts and follows the process of the elections and not the results. We arrived at Armenia for observing the elections and not interfere or insist in doing anything, and our mandate is exclusively in monitoring, evaluation and recommendations”, she said.
Answering the questions of the journalists on reasonability of increasing the number of ODIHR/OSCE observers in Armenia, she said that ODIHR/OSCE considers the number of observers optimal and does not see any need for its increase.
Earlier the opposition has announced about the need of participation of more international observers in Armenia.
“We are not the police of elections, and we can not replace the power, parties and local observers. The number of observers is defined by the results of ODIHR/OSCE mission report by the assessment of needs. We consider that the number of observers will allow to provide the efficient work of the mission”, she said.
This number of observers allows to receive reliable statistical data and the experience of ODIHR/OSCE shows that the number of observers in Armenia is enough.
Parliament elections in Armenia will take place on May 6. G.K.–0—
