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Montenegro | Presidential election

Press release from OSCE/ODIHR Public Affairs Unit, February 28, 2008, Warsaw, Poland

Following an invitation from the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro, Mr. Ranko Krivokapić, the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is deploying an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Montenegro to observe the presidential election.
The presidential election was called by the Speaker of the National Assembly on 17 January 2008. The election will be the first for President since the country voted for independence in a referendum on 21 May 2006.
The first round of the election will take place on 6 April 2008. If no candidate wins over 50% of votes cast, a second round will be held on 20 April 2008.

See online: Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is deploying an election observation mission for the 6 April presidential election in Montenegro, the country’s first post-independence presidential election.

The deployment of the mission follows an invitation from the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro, Mr. Ranko Krivokapić, and an ODIHR needs assessment mission in early February 2008.

The election will be the first for President since the country voted for independence in a referendum on 21 May 2006. It will be conducted under a new legislative framework, with the constitution passed in October 2007 and the law on the election of the president in December 2007.

The mission, headed by Mr. Julian Peel Yates, consists of 11 international experts based in Podgorica. In addition, 14 long-term observers will be deployed throughout the country from 5 March 2008. “Our task is to assess the presidential election for its compliance with principles for democratic electoral processes”, said Julian Peel Yates. “This includes commitments agreed to by all OSCE participating States, as well as national legislation.”

Observers will closely monitor campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant governmental bodies, election-related legislation and its implementation, the media environment, and the resolution of election-related disputes.

The OSCE/ODIHR will request that 100 short-term observers be deployed immediately prior to the election. They will monitor the opening of polling stations, voting, counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results [1] [2].

The OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission and the OSCE Mission to Montenegro operate separately under their specific mandates.

Mission at a glance
Head of Mission: Mr. Julian Peel Yates
11 international staff based in Podgorica
14 long-term observers deployed in the regions
100 short-term observers requested from OSCE participating States

Mission schedule
27 February: Mission opens
5 March: Deployment of long-term observers
6 April: Election day
7 April: Press conference

Contacts
Mr. Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, ODIHR Spokesperson
Public Affairs Unit
Aleje Ujazdowskie 19
00-557 WARSAW
POLAND
Tel. +48 22 520 06 00 ext. 4162
Mobile +48 603 683 122
Fax +48 22 520 06 05

[1] Contingent on the possibility of a second round, short-term observers may be requested to monitor the run-off election.

[2] The day after the election, the Election Observation Mission will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.

Copyright © OSCE/ODIHR Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 2008.
With special thanks to Mr. Jens-Hagen Eschenbaecher, ODIHR Spokesperson, Warsaw, Poland.