By the Hungarian Helsinki Committee on 22 February 2022
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee is calling on EU Member States to honour the recommendations made by OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and second long-term and short-term election observers to the full Election Observation Mission to the parliamentary elections in Hungary on April 3.
Following meetings with state institutions, election officials, representatives of political parties, media and civil society, ODIHR recommended that a full-scale Election Observation Mission (EOM). These recommendations represents a significant warning by Europe’s main security watchdog on the threats to voting in an EU member state.
This landmark decision needs to be paired by OSCE participating States’actions. EU Member States’ seconding sufficient numbers of election observers will be crucial to ensure that ODIHR can fully perform its election observation functions.
At a time of increasing threats to democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights within the EU itself, EU Member States must show resolve to uphold high democratic standards by enabling the OSCE to fully perform its mandate.
You can find the full statement here