Press Statement

Joint Statement by EU Special Representative and Head of EC Delegation Erwan Fouéré, OSCE Head of Mission Ambassador Giorgio Radicati, and United States Ambassador Gillian Milovanovic

 April 16, 2008

The EU Special Representative and the OSCE and U.S. Ambassadors note the Parliament’s decision on April 12 to dissolve, and the subsequent decision of the President of Parliament to schedule general elections on June 1. 

We call on all parties to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, thereby demonstrating their commitment to Euro-Atlantic values.

The conduct of the electoral campaign and the elections will present an opportunity for this country to fully demonstrate the maturity of its democratic institutions.  All political parties have a shared responsibility for ensuring that elections are conducted to established international standards.  No party should be permitted to jeopardize the country’s future through electoral misconduct, fraud, intimidation, or violence. 

The international community will monitor the pre-campaign and campaign period, as well as the voting on Election Day, and will closely follow media treatment of the candidates.

We call on the parties to ensure that public institutions, assets or benefits are not used for campaign or other electoral purposes, and to publicly condemn any actions that would undermine this country’s democratic credentials.  We also call on the government to ensure that all competent bodies – including the State Electoral Commission and the Broadcasting Council – are appropriately composed and adequately funded to carry out their election-related and media-monitoring duties.