OSCE refuses to send observers to parliamentary elections in Russia due to restrictions imposed by Moscow

The OSCE will not send observers to the parliamentary elections in Russia in September. About it reported In the organisation.

The reason for this decision by the OSCE is in the restrictions on the number of observers imposed by Russia. Moscow announced its readiness to receive no more than 50 observers from the OSCE and 10 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The reason for these restrictions was called the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia.

The OSCE stressed that for effective observation, the organization itself must establish the number of observers. They also noted that the mission of the organization, which worked in Russia from May to June, came to the conclusion that 80 long-term and 420 short-term observers should be sent to the elections. The OSCE added that the Russian authorities did not provide clarification on how the restriction of the observer mission would help in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

OSCE observers have attended all national elections in Russia since 1993. The elections to the State Duma will be held from 7 to 9 September.