OSCE/ODIHR is already planning a pre-election assessment mission at the latest in May. That`s according to Katya Andrusz, spokesperson of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, speaking with Europetime.
„We have indeed received an invitation from the authorities to observe this year’s parliamentary elections, and are already planning a pre-election assessment mission at the latest in May. As you may know, ODIHR visits countries across the OSCE some months before an election is due to take place, at the invitation of the national authorities.
During this needs assessment mission we speak to numerous people involved in the election, including government officials, the election administration, members of the judiciary, political parties, representatives of civil society, and the media.
Only after this detailed assessment to evaluate the pre-election environment and preparations for voting day is a decision taken about the election observation and what format it will take, including the number of observers. In Georgia, we have consistently observed elections in the country, and our core team of experts regularly deploy 6-8 weeks ahead of election day,“ Katya Andrusz told Europetime.
