Observation of Kosovo elections - Council of Europe

Observation of Kosovo elections

November 2007

For the fifth consecutive time, the Council of Europe has been invited by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to lead international efforts to observe the parliamentary and local elections which will take place in Kosovo on 17 November.

The mission comprises a central team of eight international experts based in Pristina, under the leadership of Giovanni Di Stasi (Italy), former President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.

On 8 October, fourteen Long-Term Election Observers (LTO) from ten European countries arrived in Kosovo. After a two-day training session (9-10 October), they deployed, in pairs, to six areas throughout Kosovo, while one team was based in Belgrade.

Their role is to closely examine the entire electoral process to ensure that it fully complies with international standards and that the conditions for democratic and transparent elections are met.

Shortly before the ballot, some 150 short-term observers will have the task of observing the opening of the polling stations, the ballot itself, and the counting of the votes and the calculation of the results at all levels. The groups of observers will be made up of the delegations of Council of Europe member states and other European institutions.

On the day after the ballot, the election observation mission will publish its initial findings and conclusions.

• Mission conclusions: Preliminary Statement

Photo 1. A press conference of European Union and Council of Europe representatives Photo 2. Giovanni Di Stasi, Head of mission - Photos 3. Doris Pack (European Union) and Giovanni Di Stasi