ODIHR chief, OSCE PA vice president committed to close co-operation during observation of Albania vote

WARSAW, 3 June 2009 - The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Ambassador Janez Lenarcic, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Vice President, Wolfgang Grossruck, today expressed their strong commitment to closely work together during the observation of Albania's 28 June parliamentary elections.

Lenarcic and Grossruck made clear that in view of the elections' importance for the consolidation of Albania's democracy and the country's further integration into European structures, close co-operation and partnership between ODIHR and the OSCE PA, as well as with other international partners, will be essential for a fact-based and objective assessment.

Grossruck, of Austria, was appointed special co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observers in Albania by the OSCE Chairmanship.

During his visit, Grossruck was briefed on ODIHR activities, including preparations for the observation of the Albanian parliamentary elections.

ODIHR deployed a long-term observation mission, headed by Ambassador Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom, to Albania in early May and has requested 400 short-term observers from OSCE participating States for election day.

A joint statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be published the day after the election, on 29 June. The final report on the elections will be issued several weeks after that.