AbkhaziaGov: STATEMENT FROM THE MISSION OF FOREIGN (INTERNATIONAL) OBSERVERS ON OBSERVATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA
posted by circassiankama on December, 2009 as Abkhazia
STATEMENT
FROM THE MISSION OF FOREIGN (INTERNATIONAL) OBSERVERS ON OBSERVATION OF
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA
13/12/2009 17:30 ABKHAZIA, SUKHUM
STATEMENT Mission of foreign (international) observers On observation of the presidential elections in the Republic of Abkhazia Sukhum, December 13, 2009
Mission
of foreign observers at the presidential elections in the Republic
Abkhazia including people having recognized international authority in
the field of citizens’ voting rights and freedoms, carried out
short-term observation of the voting procedures, the counting of votes
and determination of the results of the voting on December 12, 2009. In
all 16 observers were accredited to the Mission: from Austria,
Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, the United
States of America, Finland, France, Czech Republic and Switzerland. MPs
of different levels, well-known political scientists and sociologists,
a number of professors, experts in the field of the law and election
technologies application are among them. The presented report gives
a general assessment of the election legislation in the Republic of
Abkhazia and the degree of its observance during the elections. The
legislative basis on the whole provides the necessary foundation for
democratic elections. First of all, it is formed by the Constitution
and the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Abkhazia “About
Presidential Elections in the Republic of Abkhazia”. The law is up to
the international election standards, ensures the possibility of free
and democratic elections. Participation of the citizens of the Republic
of Abkhazia in elections is free and voluntary. Nobody has the right to
force citizens to participation or nonparticipation in elections, as
well as interfere with their free expression of will. The Mission also points to the following aspects of the election process: • the Republic of Abkhazia’s presidential candidates were registered as a result of an open process; • the Central Election Commission acted on the whole at a professional level and in the atmosphere of transparency; •the
election bodies and courts considered complaints and appeals,
providing, on the whole, timeliness of electoral problems consideration
observing principles of appropriate election process. On the whole,
the Law “About Presidential Elections in the Republic of Abkhazia”
provides appropriate foundation for democratic elections. As at
December 12, 2009 130 thousand voters were registered. Lists of voters
at each polling station were drawn up by a local election commission
according to the established form, on the basis of the data provided by
the head of a local administration. 5 candidates expressing
interests of different political parties and strata of the society
participated in the presidential elections. Election bodies worked
in a transparent manner, representatives of all presidential
candidates, mass-media, the civil society had an access to their work.
The Central Election Commission on the whole worked professionally on
the elections organization, conducted an explanatory campaign for
voters, reacted properly to complaints received during the election
campaign. Observers note that the presidential elections were held
in the atmosphere of pluralism, giving a political choice to voters and
with observance of universal democratic standards. Voting was well
organized and held in a peaceful atmosphere. Observers assess the
course of election procedures positively on the whole. The election
commissions followed procedural rules; good knowledge of election
procedures by the majority of voters is also noted. Our groups
observed opening of 9 polling stations in Sukhum, the course of the
voting at polling stations in the Sukhum, Gulripsh, Ochamchira,
Tkuarchal districts. We assessed positively all stages of the voting on
December 12, 2009. Each voter voted personally. No incident or
violation of the voting procedure which would influence the free
expression of will was detected. At all the polling station we
visited, there were local observers what gives high-degree credibility
to the results of the voting.
Conclusions. The Mission of foreign (international) observers at the presidential elections in the Republic of Abkhazia: •
considers that the elections were held according to the norms of the
election legislation in force in the country and with observance of
international democratic standards, in the atmosphere of equal
political competition; • recognizes the presidential elections free, open and legitimate; • will strive for informing the world community of its work and the elections results.
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