OSCE parliamentarians to observe elections in Serbia

COPENHAGEN - Parliamentarians of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will arrive in Serbia next week to take part in an observation mission to the parliamentary elections on March 16.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter appointed Slovenian MP Roberto Battelli as special coordinator of the Mission, while Italian MP Luigi Compagna will head a delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which comprises 40 parliamentarians from 15 OSCE member states.

The members of the delegation will tour polling stations across Serbia and cooperate closely with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and colleagues from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the OSCE press office stated in a release.

The mission will assess the elections against democratic commitments contained in the OSCE's 1990 Copenhagen Document.
“These elections are an important chance for Serbia to again demonstrate its commitment to democratic electoral standards and to put reforms into practice that enhance the integrity of the process. I look forward to observing,” said Special Coordinator Battelli.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has previously observed parliamentary elections in Serbia in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008 and 2012, in addition to several presidential elections, reads the release.

Photo Tanjug/M. Jelesijevic

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