The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will not be observing Lithuania’s presidential election after Vilnius refused to let in delegates from Russia and Belarus, Delfi.lt reports.
The OSCE announced the decision on April 23. It said the organisation’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights had been invited to observe the Lithuanian election on the condition that citizens of some OSCE member states would not be allowed in. The organisation rejected the condition.
“It will not be possible to observe the upcoming elections in Lithuania as the invitation extended to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was made conditional on the exclusion of nationals from certain OSCE states, in breach of the commitments made by all participating States of the OSCE,” the organisation said.
“The commitment to inviting observers from all other OSCE states to observe national elections is key to the letter and spirit of dialogue on which the OSCE is based, and expressly excluding other participating States from taking part in an observation is contrary to OSCE commitments,” it added.
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed to Delfi that it had invited the OSCE to observe the election with conditions.
“Lithuania, in accordance with its international obligations, has invited the OSCE ODIHR and the OSCE participating countries to observe this year’s elections in Lithuania, with the exception of the aggressor Russia and its supporter Belarus,” the ministry said in a comment.
The ministry said Russia and Belarus was interfering in Lithuania’s domestic affairs and inviting their representatives to observe the vote would be “a mockery of democracy”.
“Russia’s attempts to interfere in the processes in Lithuania, including the elections, its aggressive information attacks aimed at inciting fear and panic, disrupting the work of state institutions, encouraging distrust in state decisions, as well as the intensive activities of the Belarusian intelligence services against Lithuania, pose a threat to our national security,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement is quoted by Delfi.lt.
It also said Lithuania condemned Russia’s “attempts” to organise elections in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Lithuania “calls on the OSCE to address the issue of the continuation of the membership in the organisation of the countries that most flagrantly violate international law, human rights, and carry out aggression against Ukraine,” it added.
The ministry did not, however, comment on the OSCE’s decision not to send observers to Lithuania.
Voting in Lithuania’s presidential elections is held this Sunday, May 12. Early voting started on Tuesday.
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