Press release 10 April 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Swedish election monitors to Serbia and Georgia

The Government decided today to send two election monitors to Serbia ahead of the parliamentary elections on 11 May and three election monitors and 15 election observers to Georgia ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held on 21 May.

"Serbia plays a key role in the Western Balkans. Parliamentary elections are therefore very important for political developments in the entire region and for Serbia's continued development of closer relations with the European Union. In the same way, Georgia's parliamentary elections will have an important effect on the country's ongoing reform and democratisation process. It is essential that these elections are conducted in a free and fair manner and in accordance with international standards," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.

The decision to send election monitors follows a request from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The ODIHR was established in 1992 to help participating States promote conditions for democratic elections, to assist the OSCE's participating States build and strengthen democratic institutions and, when necessary, to provide assistance to field offices. An important task is to assist in the coordination of OSCE election monitoring.

Sida is responsible for the recruitment and training of Swedish election observers.