OSCE/ODIHR observation mission unveils interim report for elections in Azerbaijan

Baku. 29 March. REPORT.AZ/ An interim report of the long-term observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) for the presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

Report informs referring to the OSCE official website.

The report says that no complaints have been submitted so far to the courts, the CEC or the ConECs visited during the reporting period. ODIHR EOM interlocutors expect very few complaints to be filed in this election.

The ConECs and PECs that ODIHR EOM (Election Observation Mission) observers met with appeared professional and well resourced and reported that they were generally prepared for the election, even though it had been called at short notice.

“In line with legal requirements, the public broadcaster has allocated free airtime to all contestants. The ODIHR EOM was informed that this time will be used exclusively for one-hour long roundtables among the contestants, which are aired on both TV and radio, three times per week. The first such debate was aired on March 19”, the report says.

Notably, the mission is headed by Corien Jonker (Netherlands).

In general, the long-term mission of the OSCE/ODIHR consists of 30 observers - a team of 10 experts will be in Baku, another 20 long-term observers will be sent to regions from March 15. 280 short-term observers will be observing presidential elections in Azerbaijan on April 11.

On April 12, the OSCE/ODIHR mission will present preliminary results of election observation at a press conference. The final report will be published within two months.