OSCE/ODIHR to send longterm and short-term observers missions on presidential elections in Azerbaijan

Baku. 3 March. REPORT.AZ/ OSCE/ODIHR to send longterm and short-term observers missions on presidential elections in Azerbaijan, Report informs citing OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission report.

Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan to observe the 11 April 2018 early presidential election, and in accordance with its mandate, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Baku from 21 to 22 February 2018. The NAM included Alexander Shlyk, Head of ODIHR Election Department, Ana Rusu, ODIHR Senior Election Adviser, and Radivoje Grujić, ODIHR Election Adviser. 

The ODIHR NAM was joined by Iryna Sabashuk, Head of Administration for Election Observation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The purpose of the mission was to assess the pre-election environment and the preparations for the election. Based on this assessment, the NAM recommends whether to deploy an ODIHR electionrelated activity for the forthcoming election, and if so, what type of activity best meets the identified needs. Meetings were held with officials from state institutions and the election administration, as well as representatives of political parties, media, civil society and international community.

Based on the findings of this report, the ODIHR NAM recommends the deployment of an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the upcoming early presidential election. In addition to a core team of experts, the ODIHR NAM will request the secondment by OSCE participating States of 30 longterm observers to follow the electoral process countrywide, as well as 280 short-term observers for the observation of election day procedures. In line with the ODIHR’s standard methodology, the EOM will include a media monitoring element.