OSCE to send limited observation mission to monitor April election

(MTI) – The OSCE’s mission visiting Hungary last month has recommended dispatching a Limited Election Observation Mission for the upcoming parliamentary election, according to a release posted on OSCE’s website.

After President Janos Ader called in January the parliamentary election for April 6, the Hungarian foreign ministry invited the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) to observe the election, said OSCE.

In accordance with its mandate, the ODIHR undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) to Budapest from January 20 to 23 to assess the pre-election environment and the preparations for the elections, it said.

Members of the NAM met Hungarian state and ministry officials, representatives of the political parties and the National Election Office, as well as of the media and civil groups.

Based on these, the majority of the OSCE mission expressed confidence in the ability of the election administration to organise the ballot professionally. Many, however, expressed doubts as to the intention of the legal changes that lacked opposition support and could make the election process and the election campaign more complicated, OSCE said,

On this basis, the OSCE/ODIHR mission has recommended the deployment of a Limited Election Observation Mission for April 6.

While the mission would visit a limited number of polling stations on the day of the election, systematic observation of election day proceedings is not envisaged, OSCE said.

Source: http://hungarymatter.hu/