IPA CIS and OSCE ODIHR Observers Discussed Presidential Elections in Republic of Moldova

Within the framework of the monitoring of the presidential elections in the Republic of Moldova, the IPA CIS observers lead by Head of the CIS Mission, First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Viktor Guminskiy, met with Head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) Coriene Jonker. The meeting was also attended by IPA CIS Observer Team Coordinator, Deputy Speaker of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Adil Aliyev, Secretary General – Head of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat Dmitry Kobitskiy and Director of the IPA CIS International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development (IPA CIS IIMDD) Ivan Mushket.

Viktor Guminskiy informed the participants about the work carried out by the IPA CIS IIMDD in the framework of the long-term monitoring. He also said that the observers of the CIS Mission got acquainted with the interim report of the OSCE/ODIHR colleagues. Viktor Guminskiy noted that the observations reflected in the report largely coincided with the observations of the CIS Mission carried out in the preparatory period of the voting.

The Head of the CIS Mission stressed that the CEC had done a great job taking into account the observers’ remarks made at the past presidential and parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova. He appreciated the security measures related to the pandemic and expressed hope that the elections in the Republic of Moldova will be democratic and fair.

Coriene Jonker said that the OSCE/ODIHR headquarters analyzed the electoral process from a legal and political points of view, as well as in terms of media coverage. The Head of the OSCE/ODIHR also noted it was too early to draw final conclusions.

The participants noted that the practice of such meetings had become a good tradition, which allowed hearing each other’s opinions.