OSCE: there is sound framework for democratic elections in ArmeniaMarch 21, 2007 - 15:09 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Following an invitation from the Armenian Foreign Ministry the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) opened an election observation mission for the 12 May parliamentary elections in Armenia.Thirteen experts will be based in Yerevan, and 29 long-term observers will be deployed around the country. The ODIHR will request that a further 300 short-term observers be provided by OSCE participating States to monitor the opening and closing of polling stations on election day, voting, the vote count, and the tabulation of results. The mission will assess the parliamentary elections for their compliance with principles for democratic electoral processes, including commitments agreed to by all 56 OSCE participating States, as well as with national legislation. Observers will closely monitor campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, the media environment, and the resolution of election-related disputes. "The recently amended election code of Armenia provides a sound framework for democratic elections, but the challenge for the authorities is its implementation in good faith, so that this and future elections are held in accordance with OSCE commitments," said Ambassador Boris Frlec, who heads the ODIHR mission. The mission intends to join efforts with the short-term observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, who will be headed by Tone Tingsgaard, Vice-President of the OSCE PA. The mission will also co-operate with other parliamentary delegations from the Council of Europe and, possibly, the European Parliament. The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission and the OSCE Office in Yerevan operate independently under separate mandates, reports the OSCE communication unit. Top stories President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Partner news | Russia accuses West of preparing invasion of CSTO countries NATO is preparing an invasion of the CSTO countries, the number of provocations in the air is growing, Sergei Shoigu has said. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. U.S. “deeply troubled” by Azerbaijan's arrest of civil society members The United States is deeply troubled by the continued arrest of members of Azerbaijani civil society, Matthew Miller has said. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |