06/09/2021 Bureau
An Election Assessment Mission of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) will take place in Moscow on the occasion of the parliamentary elections in the Russian Federation (17-19 September 2021).
Following a decision taken today by the Bureau of the Assembly, a five-member delegation, led by Pierre-Alain Fridez (Switzerland, SOC), and accompanied by a Venice Commission adviser, will be in Moscow from 17 to 19 September.
In the absence of international election observation partners from ODIHR and OSCE PA, and taking into account the current epidemiological situation, the Bureau considered that PACE would not be in a position to conduct a fully-fledged election observation mission. At the same time, it considered that a political presence by the Assembly in the format of an Election Assessment Mission, on and around election day, would bring an added value to the ongoing process of political dialogue between the Russian Federation and the Assembly, including within the framework of PACE’s monitoring procedure.
The Election Assessment Mission will hold meetings with key political stakeholders, including key parliamentary and extra-parliamentary parties, domestic observers, media and civil society representatives, as well as the Central Election Commission. In line with the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure, it will report its findings in the form of a memorandum by its Chairperson to the Bureau. The findings of the Election Assessment Mission would feed inter alia into the report on the honouring of commitments and obligations by the Russian Federation, currently being prepared by the Monitoring Committee.
No press conference will be held.
The members of the delegation are:
Pierre-Alain Fridez (Switzerland, SOC), Chairperson
Joseph O’Reilly (Ireland, EPP/CD)
Jacques Maire (France, ALDE)
Alberto Ribolla (Italy, EC/DA)
George Katrougalos (Greece, UEL)