Special Co-ordinator Matteo Mecacci opens the short-term observer briefing in Minsk, 21 September 2012.MINSK, 21 September 2012 – More than 70 election observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly began their election observation mission today in Belarus.

Matteo Mecacci, the special co-ordinator to lead the OSCE short-term observer mission, opened the briefing today in Minsk after having a meeting in the morning with the foreign minister.

Over the course of two days of briefings, the observers will hear from election officials, political parties, non-governmental organizations, representatives of the media, as well as political, legal and media analysts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Observers will fan out across the country to observe the vote on Sunday in various urban and rural precincts among the 110 districts in the country.

Mecacci will deliver the official statement of the OSCE at a news conference in Minsk on Monday at 2 p.m. local time.