OSCE/ODIHR re-establishes its election observation mission in Georgia

TBILISI/WARSAW, 17 December 2003 - For the forthcoming 4 January presidential election in Georgia, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) has re-established its long-term Election Observation Mission there, to monitor the election process before, during, and after election day.

The Mission will be joined shortly before election day by an enhanced short-term observer presence at polling station level.

"These elections are crucial for the future democratic development of Georgia", said Ambassador Craig Jenness, who will Head the OSCE/ODIHR Observation Mission. "Following the recent elections, which were seriously flawed, it is now the responsibility of all actors, including the authorities, political parties, and civil society at large, to meet the high expectations needed to restore public confidence in the democratic electoral process."

Thirteen election experts at the OSCE/ODIHR Mission headquarters in Tbilisi and 24 long-term observers in the regions will closely monitor and analyse the entire electoral process. This includes the political campaign, the election administration, the implementation of the legal framework, access to media, the complaints and appeals process and election day itself.

Some 400 short-term observers, including parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament, will be deployed by OSCE/ODIHR throughout the country to observe the voting, vote count, and tabulation of results.

Bruce George MP, President of the OSCE PA, has been appointed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office as Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term observation mission. On the day after polling he will deliver a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions, in conjunction with the Council of Europe, European Parliament and OSCE/ODIHR.

As usual, the OSCE/ODIHR will issue a comprehensive report approximately one month after the publication of the final results.

Journalists should note that the Election Observation Mission will operate separately from the regular OSCE Mission to Georgia, established in 1992. For information on the latter's wide-ranging mandate, see the OSCE homepage link to field activities.