2020 Polls: OSCE/ODIHR Cancels Short Term Election Observation

OSCE/ODIHR stated on October 9 that it will be limiting Election Observation Mission (EOM) deployed to Georgia to core teams of experts and long-term observers, cancelling plans for sending short-term observers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel and health restrictions.

According to the statement, OSCE member states were unable to provide short-term observers in sufficient numbers “for meaningful observation of election day procedures.”

The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission was launched on September 25, with a core team of 13 experts, who were joined by 27 long-term observers on October 1. 350 short-term observers will no longer arrive to follow election day proceedings.

The same cutback affected Moldova and Ukraine observation missions as well, ODIHR noted.

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