OSCE/ODIHR to Send Fewer Observers to Armenia than Past Elections

Contrary to the expectations of Armenia’s opposition, the OSCE ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) office is preparing to send 250 short-term and 24 long-term election observers — fewer than those sent in the 2007 parliamentary and the 2008 presidential elections, reports local daily Haykakan Jamanak (“Armenian Times”).

Recall that the opposition bloc the Armenian National Congress had asked the OSCE for 2,000 observers.

The paper recalls that for the May 12, 2007 parliamentary elections, OSCE/ODIHR had sent 411 short-term observers who monitored only on Election Day. Furthermore, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe also had a team of 29 long-term observers and 15 experts.

For the Feb. 19, 2008 president election, OSCE/ODIHR had sent 28 long-term and 333 short-term observers, along with 16 experts.

“It would seem that on the backdrop of the 2008 presidential election and the events that followed, the OSCE would increase the number of its observers in the upcoming elections. However, surprisingly, we are witnessing the opposite picture,” reports the daily.