Independent Balkan News Agency 20 June 2013 By Roberto Battelli Albanian voters could be forgiven for wondering whether Sunday's election is about the future direction of Albanian politics or about the very institutions of democracy. As long-standing differences between the main political forces have again impacted the process of conducting elections, I think it is fair to say that both politics and democracy will both be in focus on Sunday.

Kyiv Post 17 January 2013 By Riccardo Migliori When Ukraine kicks off its chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the world’s largest regional security organization, it will be the start of a crucial year and a moment to reset expectations for what the OSCE can be. In Vienna, there will be speeches, applause and when the toasts are done. When Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara heads back to Kyiv, some in Vienna may

The Hill 11 September 2012 By Christopher Smith Just weeks before Belarus's parliamentary elections on Sept. 23, few expect anything but another sham. And yet democratic nations will have to let the dictator, Alexander Lukashenka, know they are paying attention and mean business. So far, in the run-up to this election we have seen few if any good signs. Opposition leader Alexander Milinkevich has been denied registration as a candidate. The

Moscow Times 30 November 2011 By Matteo Mecacci Foreign ministers from the 56 countries of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will meet next week to try to accomplish what heads of government could not at this time last year. A lot has changed since a draft action plan died for lack of consensus at the 2010 Astana Summit. From popular protests to worrying economic unrest, the threats to our comprehensive security —

Вечерний Бишкек ( English ) 28 October 2011 By Walburga Habsburg Douglas Специальный координатор краткосрочной миссии наблюдателей ОБСЕ и глава делегации Парламентской А ссамблеи ОБСЕ Вальбурга Габсбург Дуглас (Швеция) Еще два года назад, если бы я сказала коллеге, что приму участие в наблюдении за выборами в Центральной Азии, исход которых я не могу предугадать, на меня бы посмотрели с недоверием и задали лишь один вопрос - где? В какой части

Vicherny Bishkek ( Русский ) 28 October 2011 By Walburga Habsburg Douglas Not even two years ago if I told a colleague I was going to observe an election in Central Asia and that I had no idea who would win, I would probably have been greeted with a doubtful look and one question – where? Where in Central Asia can there be a competitive electoral contest where the outcome is genuinely not a foregone conclusion? Today, we all know the answer is