OSCE/ODIHR kicks off Armenian election monitoring mission
13.11.2018,
15:50
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) officially launched today the early parliamentary vote monitoring mission in Armenia.
YEREVAN, November 13. /ARKA/. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) officially launched today the early parliamentary vote monitoring mission in Armenia.
Urszula Gacek, the head of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observation mission, told a news conference in Yerevan that they were invited by the Armenian government to observe the process of holding early parliamentary elections, slated for December 9.
She said the first 13 members of the mission will arrive in Armenia in a few days and later another 24 people will join them, who will be responsible for monitoring the process in the regions, while the main delegation of 250 poll watchers will arrive on the eve of the elections to watch directly the voting process.
Gacek said election watching missions will be sent to Armenia also by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Council of Europe. She said the main purpose of the mission is to observe that elections comply with international and local legislations.
The OSCE/ODIHR mission will monitor all processes - from candidate registration, technical preparation for the electoral process, media coverage, appealing results, and the way the Central Election Commission will handle the reported problems.
The OSCE / ODIHR mission will also monitor the outcome of possible appeals. Two months after the election, the mission will submit the final report.
Regarding the duration of the campaigning, which this time is only two weeks, Urszula Gacek said the duration of the campaigning is not important, because all the parties running for seats will be given time to present their positions.
Armenia’ acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned October 16 to clear way for the dissolution of the parliament and holding early parliamentary elections. Under the Armenian Constitution, early elections are held if lawmakers fail twice within 14 days to appoint a prime minister.
Pashinyan was elected as PM by the country's National Assembly after former president turned-prime minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on April 23 under immense public pressure provided by weeks of nationwide protest against Sargsyan and his Republican Party. –0—
Urszula Gacek, the head of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observation mission, told a news conference in Yerevan that they were invited by the Armenian government to observe the process of holding early parliamentary elections, slated for December 9.
She said the first 13 members of the mission will arrive in Armenia in a few days and later another 24 people will join them, who will be responsible for monitoring the process in the regions, while the main delegation of 250 poll watchers will arrive on the eve of the elections to watch directly the voting process.
Gacek said election watching missions will be sent to Armenia also by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the Council of Europe. She said the main purpose of the mission is to observe that elections comply with international and local legislations.
The OSCE/ODIHR mission will monitor all processes - from candidate registration, technical preparation for the electoral process, media coverage, appealing results, and the way the Central Election Commission will handle the reported problems.
The OSCE / ODIHR mission will also monitor the outcome of possible appeals. Two months after the election, the mission will submit the final report.
Regarding the duration of the campaigning, which this time is only two weeks, Urszula Gacek said the duration of the campaigning is not important, because all the parties running for seats will be given time to present their positions.
Armenia’ acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned October 16 to clear way for the dissolution of the parliament and holding early parliamentary elections. Under the Armenian Constitution, early elections are held if lawmakers fail twice within 14 days to appoint a prime minister.
Pashinyan was elected as PM by the country's National Assembly after former president turned-prime minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on April 23 under immense public pressure provided by weeks of nationwide protest against Sargsyan and his Republican Party. –0—
