Peter Juel-Jensen and Reinhold LopatkaCOPENHAGEN, 4 January 2021 – Nearly 50 election observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are traveling to Kyrgyzstan this week for the presidential vote on Sunday. The OSCE PA observers will deploy for election day in the capital, Bishkek, and in the surrounding area, and will work closely with the long-term observers deployed by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
Peter Juel-Jensen (Denmark) has been appointed Special Co-ordinator to lead the short-term OSCE observer mission and deliver the statement of preliminary findings and conclusions, which is planned for a press conference in Bishkek on 11 January. Juel-Jensen is OSCE PA Treasurer and has been Head of the Danish Delegation to the OSCE PA since 2008.
“Coming after the election-related unrest last October, this election is an important milestone in Kyrgyzstan’s democratic development, and we hope for a calm and peaceful process,” said Juel-Jensen. “We appreciate the authorities’ co-operation in providing the opportunity to visit Kyrgyzstan, despite the pandemic, and we will be vigilant in following all relevant guidelines.”
The OSCE PA observers are led by Head of Delegation Reinhold Lopatka (Austria). Lopatka is the Deputy Head of the Austrian Delegation to the OSCE PA and serves within the Assembly as Special Representative on Central Asia.
Lopatka noted that OSCE PA observers were not able to observe the vote in October due to restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The disputed election last autumn was a reminder of the important role of international election observation,” Lopatka said. “We therefore look forward to participating once again in observing Kyrgyzstan’s electoral process, as we have done since 2000, and offering our fair and honest assessment.”
Observers will be briefed by election administrators, experts, political party representatives, and civil society representatives for two days prior to election day.
The mission is assessing the elections against democratic commitments contained in the OSCE’s 1990 Copenhagen Document, to which the Kyrgyz Republic has agreed. Key provisions include: free voting procedures, a fair and free campaign atmosphere, access to media, and honest and accurate reporting of results.
For previous OSCE PA assessments of elections in Kyrgyzstan, please click here.
Members of the media interested in further information should contact the following spokesperson for the OSCE PA's observer mission:
Andreas Baker, Head of Elections
Tel: +45 6010 8126
Email: [email protected]
