18/02/2005 | Election observation
A PACE delegation visiting Moldova has voiced its concern at the lack of a clearly visible campaign just sixteen days before the parliamentary elections, due on 6 March 2005. "Without a visible campaign, ordinary citizens in Moldova will lack the information necessary to make an informed choice on election day. Vibrant election campaigns are an essential component of truly democratic elections," said the five-member delegation in a statement issued at the end of a visit to the country (16-18 February 2005).
10/01/2005 | Election observation
A delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), lead by Lord Kilclooney, former Minister at Home Affairs in Northern Ireland, observed the 9 January election of the President of the Palestinian Authority. The delegation was satisfied with the efficient organisation of this election. The overall high voter turnout clearly signals the belief of the Palestinian electorate in the democratic process. With the election of the new President, a new window of opportunity is opened for a renewed dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis.
05/01/2005 | Election observation
A 15-member PACE delegation, lead by Lord Kilclooney, former Minister at Home Affairs in Northern Ireland, will observe the election of the President of the Palestinian Authority to be held on 9 January 2005. During their stay in Ramallah and Jerusalem, from 7 to 10 January, the parliamentarians will meet with the candidates for the Presidency, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission and the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, as well as with representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and NGO’s.
27/12/2004 | Election observation
The repeat second round of the presidential election in Ukraine on 26 December brought Ukraine substantially closer to meeting international standards. Throughout the election an engaged civil society demonstrated an active interest in the democratic process, concluded the International Election Observation Mission in a preliminary statement released today in Kyiv. The Head of the delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr. Tadeusz Iwinski, said: “The Council of Europe did not have a candidate in this election. We respect the choice the people of Ukraine have made and the expression of that choice was clear and democratic. Without prejudging the outcome of the official count, I am pleased to announce today that the Bureau of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly is extending an invitation to the new president of Ukraine to address its plenary session in late January.”
16/12/2004 | Election observation
A 30-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly, headed by Tadeusz Iwinski (Poland, SOC), will observe the re-run of the second round of the presidential election to be held in Ukraine on 26 December 2004. The parliamentarians will arrive in Kyiv on 24 December to meet with the two candidates and the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission. On election day, they will be deployed in the capital and throughout the country.
18/11/2004 | Election observation
A 20-member delegation of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) will observe the second round of the presidential election to be held in Ukraine on 21 November 2004. The parliamentarians will arrive in Kyiv on 19 November to meet with the two candidates and the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission. On election day, they will be deployed in the capital and throughout the country. The observation will be carried out in the framework of an International Election Observation Mission (IEOM), composed of delegations of Council of Europe, OSCE and NATO Parliamentary Assemblies, the European Parliament and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE-ODIHR).
08/11/2004 | Election observation
The 7 November referendum in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on the redrawing of municipal boundaries was generally consistent with OSCE and Council of Europe standards for democratic electoral processes, international observers concluded today. "The referendum was an opportunity to confirm the maturity and self-confidence of all the people of this country for the consolidation of democracy," said Zekeriya Akcam, head of the PACE observer delegation.
02/11/2004 | Election observation
The first round of voting in the 31 October presidential election in Ukraine did not meet a considerable number of OSCE, Council of Europe and other European standards for democratic elections, concluded the International Election Observation Mission in a preliminary statement. Nevertheless, the very high participation of the electorate and civil society in the election process show encouraging signs for the evolution of Ukrainian democracy. A 40-member PACE delegation, headed by Doros Christodoulides (Cyprus, UEL), took part in the observation.
26/10/2004 | Election observation
A 40-member PACE delegation will observe the presidential election to be held in Ukraine on 31 October 2004. Doros Christodoulides (Cyprus, UEL) has been appointed Head of the delegation. The parliamentarians will arrive in Kyiv on 28 October to meet with the different candidates, the President of the Supreme Court and the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission, as well as with representatives of the media and NGOs. On election day, they will be deployed in the capital and throughout the country. The observation will be carried out in co-operation with the OSCE and NATO Parliamentary Assemblies, the European Parliament and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE-ODIHR).
29/09/2004 | Election observation
A five-member cross-party pre-election delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)* visited Ukraine from 26 to 29 September to assess the political situation in the country in the run-up to the 31 October presidential election as well as the state of preparedness of Ukraine’s institutions for the conduct of the vote. It issued the following statement:
22/09/2004 | Election observation
A five-member, cross-party PACE delegation will make a “pre-election” visit to Ukraine to assess the situation in the country ahead of the 31 October presidential election. The delegation is due to meet the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament and the Chairmen of the Central Election Commission, Supreme and Constitutional Courts as well as the Foreign and Interior Ministers, NGOs, the media and other international observers. Members of the “pre-election” delegation will give a press conference at 12 noon on Wednesday 29 September (Room 12 of the Verkhovna Rada, Hrushevskoho Street, 18/2, Kyiv).
20/09/2004 | Election observation
The 19 September parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan fell short of OSCE and Council of Europe standards in many respects. Of particular concern were the failure to fully implement improved election legislation and the manner in which electronic voting was introduced, which did not contribute to the confidence of the electorate in the election process, concludes the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) in a statement, issued today. Over 300 international observers from 33 countries monitored the voting and counting on behalf of the OSCE and Council of Europe.