MINSK, 15 October (BelTA) – Upon an invitation from Belarusian authorities the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) deployed an election observation mission on 15 October to observe parliamentary elections in Belarus, BelTA learned from the OSCE website.
Led by Cornelia Willemien Anke Jonker, the mission consists of a core team of 11 experts based in Minsk and 30 long-term observers, who will be deployed all over the country as from 23 October. Apart from that, ODIHR will request OSCE member states to send 400 short-term observers around the election day.
The mission will assess the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards as well as with national legislation.
Meetings with representatives of government agencies, political parties, the civil society, mass media, and the international community will be part of the observation effort.
In particular, on 15 October the head of the OSCE ODIHR election observation mission met with Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleg Kravchenko. The sides discussed matters relating to the organization of international observation via ODIHR.
Elections to the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament are scheduled for 17 November.
