Adão Silva, Special Co-ordinator of the short-term OSCE observer mission to Hungary, checks the seal on a ballot box, 6 April. BUDAPEST, 7 April 2014 – The 6 April 2014 parliamentary elections were well administered and offered voters a diverse choice, but a number of factors provided undue advantage to the ruling party, international observers said in a statement issued today. These included the manner in which a large number of changes to the

OSCE PA President Ranko Krivokapic (left) and Chair of the Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin after their meeting on 31 March. COPENHAGEN, 1 April 2014 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ranko Krivokapic met with Valentina Matviyenko, Chair of Russia's Federation Council, and Sergey Naryshkin, Chair of the Russian State Duma, on 31 March in Moscow for talks that focused on the need to de-escalate the situation in Ukraine and the OSCE PA's

Joao Soares (left), Ilkka Kanerva (center) and Makis Voridis (right) are interviewed by NPR above Maidan Square at the conclusion of their pre-election visit to Kyiv on 28 March. Delegation underscores importance of democratic vote as response to historic challenges KYIV, 28 March 2014 – A delegation of senior OSCE parliamentarians today completed a pre-election visit to Ukraine that featured discussions with Acting President Oleksandr

Adao Silva (MP, Portugal; right) meets with Ilona Palffy, President of the Hungarian National Election Office, Budapest, 19 March. COPENHAGEN, 20 March 2014 – OSCE parliamentarians will observe Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary elections and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission. A pre-election visit was completed today. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter has designated Adao Silva (MP, Portugal) as Special

OSCE PA Special Representative Ignacio Sanchez Amor (left) speaks with a Serbian customs officer on the border with Hungary. COPENHAGEN, 20 March 2014 – The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Special Representative on Border Co-operation, Ignacio Sanchez Amor (MP, Spain), has completed a study visit to the Serbian-Hungarian border. Sanchez Amor traveled on 16 March to Vojvodina, an autonomous province in northern Serbia that borders Hungary, to

COPENHAGEN, 19 March 2014 – A delegation led by senior OSCE parliamentarians will observe Ukraine’s presidential election on 25 May and provide leadership for the OSCE's short-term observer mission. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter has designated Joao Soares (MP, Portugal) as Special Co-ordinator of the mission. Makis Voridis (MP, Greece) will serve as Head of the OSCE PA Delegation, which is expected to include some 100