COPENHAGEN, 21 March 2019 – Some 110 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will deploy next week to Ukraine for the 31 March presidential election.

Ilkka Kanerva and Doris BarnettOSCE PA President Emeritus Ilkka Kanerva (MP, Finland) will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, following an appointment by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. Kanerva, who also serves as the OSCE PA’s Special Representative on Mediation, has led a number of observer missions in the past, including to Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

“Five years since the Euromaidan and the onset of military hostilities in the east of the country, Ukraine has an opportunity to renew its commitment to ongoing reforms to the benefit of its future development,” said Kanerva. “I hope to observe a competitive, peaceful and democratic presidential election.”

As Special Co-ordinator, Kanerva will deliver the joint statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference in Kyiv on 1 April.

OSCE PA President George Tsereteli has appointed Assembly Treasurer Doris Barnett (MP, Germany) as Head of the PA’s observer mission. Barnett has served as Head of the OSCE PA election observation mission in two previous elections – in Ukraine in 2014 and Azerbaijan in 2013.

“Holding an election that meets OSCE commitments is important for Ukraine’s democratic development and its international relations. It is also important for the stability and security of the wider region,” Barnett said. “The OSCE PA looks forward to continuing our good co-operation with Ukrainian authorities as we deploy one of our largest missions ever.”

Tsereteli and Barnett conducted a pre-electoral visit to Ukraine last month, which also included OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella and Special Representative Andreas Nothelle. The PA delegation met in Kyiv with Andriy Parubiy, Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, and the Head of the OSCE PA Delegation Artur Gerasymov. They held talks with presidential candidates Yulia Timoshenko, Yuriy Boyko and MP Svitlana Zalishchuk representing Anatoliy Grytsenko.

For the 31 March election, the OSCE PA will work closely in Ukraine with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and the European Parliament.

This is the 14th time that the PA has observed electoral processes in Ukraine since 1994. For previous OSCE assessments of Ukrainian elections, please click here.