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Press release
International monitors prepare for final phase of Macedonian elections
- Date:
- Place:
- SKOPJE
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE Mission to Skopje
- Fields of work:
- Elections
SKOPJE, 13 September, 2002 - All this week, hundreds of international election observers have been arriving in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, in preparation for the largest election observation mission ever organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
The team, headed by Julian Peel Yates (UK), is being deployed by the OSCE's election watchdog, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Over the past two days, the short-term observers were briefed at meetings in Skopje and Ohrid on their precise duties and the role they will play in these crucial elections.
Mr. Peel Yates said that over 800 international short-term observers had been accredited with the State Election Commission. They would play a key role on polling day, Sunday 15 September, observing the entire voting process from the opening of the polling stations at 7 a.m. to the closing 12 hours later as well as the vote count.
The Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission added: "During our time in the country the observers, including the core team that has been in the country since the end of July, have been observing all relevant aspects of the electoral process. This includes the campaign, the role of the media, and the election administration."
"All this forms the basis of the conclusions that we reach concerning the entire electoral process. The crucial observations, however, still have to be made by the 800 and more short-term observers throughout the country on election day." On Monday, 16 September, the International Observation Mission will announce its assessment of the whole process in a Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions.
Stressing his conviction that these were extremely important elections for the future of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Peel Yates added: "I firmly believe that the country has the technical and democratic capacity to run good elections. It is important now that on election day citizens go out and vote. Our role will be to contribute to transparency, confidence-building, and promoting stability. We believe that the presence of the international observers will help greatly and we look ahead to a peaceful election day".
The team, headed by Julian Peel Yates (UK), is being deployed by the OSCE's election watchdog, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. Over the past two days, the short-term observers were briefed at meetings in Skopje and Ohrid on their precise duties and the role they will play in these crucial elections.
Mr. Peel Yates said that over 800 international short-term observers had been accredited with the State Election Commission. They would play a key role on polling day, Sunday 15 September, observing the entire voting process from the opening of the polling stations at 7 a.m. to the closing 12 hours later as well as the vote count.
The Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission added: "During our time in the country the observers, including the core team that has been in the country since the end of July, have been observing all relevant aspects of the electoral process. This includes the campaign, the role of the media, and the election administration."
"All this forms the basis of the conclusions that we reach concerning the entire electoral process. The crucial observations, however, still have to be made by the 800 and more short-term observers throughout the country on election day." On Monday, 16 September, the International Observation Mission will announce its assessment of the whole process in a Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions.
Stressing his conviction that these were extremely important elections for the future of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Peel Yates added: "I firmly believe that the country has the technical and democratic capacity to run good elections. It is important now that on election day citizens go out and vote. Our role will be to contribute to transparency, confidence-building, and promoting stability. We believe that the presence of the international observers will help greatly and we look ahead to a peaceful election day".
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