ODIHR electoral recommendations database

Authorities should ensure, through legal and administrative measures, that campaigning takes place without pressure on students and employees of state-funded institutions to attend campaign events.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Electoral Campaign

To promote political participation and pluralism, the campaign finance regulatory framework should align with international good practice. This includes allowing individuals to donate to both political parties and candidates, within uniform limits and disclosure requirements.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

To enhance the transparency and effective oversight of campaign finance, the legal framework should be amended to establish comprehensive reporting, disclosure and verification requirements, and to provide for timely, effective, proportionate, and dissuasive sanctions for non-compliance.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

Defamation and insult should be decriminalised, and provisions on public insult and slander against the president should be repealed.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

Consideration should be given to transforming the Agency of Information and Mass Communications into an independent, impartial and collegial oversight body with a clear mandate, adhering to criteria of transparency and public accountability. The system for appointing its members should ensure diversity of representation and avoid conflict of interests.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

Consideration should be given to transforming the National Television and Radio Company into a genuine public service provider by removing any requirement to promote state activities, introducing a clearly defined public mandate as well as provisions guaranteeing editorial independence, financial autonomy, clear separation from any government institution, and an open and competitive selection process of its board members.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

Paid political content should be clearly marked as such, both offline and online, and broadcasters should exclude paid material in their information programmes, to clearly differentiate between editorial content and political advertising.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

To ensure the transparency of the election dispute resolution process and provide conditions for effective remedy, election commissions should handle complaints in open sessions and publicly disclose all related information.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Dispute Resolution

Consideration should be given to removing requirements that limit the operational autonomy and freedom of association of civil society organizations, in line with international standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Observation

To ensure the integrity of the voting process, the authorities should implement effective measures to eradicate serious deficiencies in the polling process and intensify efforts to prevent the recurring problems of multiple voting, proxy voting, and ballot box stuffing.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Day

To safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and prevent malpractice, the Central Election Commission should develop more efficient and effective training programmes for the Territorial and Precinct Election Commissions to ensure the proper implementation of voting, counting and tabulation procedures. The Central Election Commission should enhance the training of polling staff, with a particular focus on handling the voter lists and registration of voters on election day.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Day

The Constitution should be adhered to and the Constitutional Court, as the assigned body, should interpret the norms of the Constitution.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

A comprehensive review of the legal framework should be undertaken well in advance of the next elections in order to bring it in accordance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards, with special consideration given to ensuring that fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of association, assembly and expression, are adequately protected by the law.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

Disproportionate or discriminatory restrictions to the right of freedom of association in the law should be lifted. In addition, restrictions on the activities of non-governmental organizations should also be reviewed and amended to comply with the ICCPR and paragraphs 9.3 and 10.3 of the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Campaign Environment

All electoral stakeholders should be able to exercise their right to assemble during elections, including during the pre-election and post-election periods, without the threat of arrest.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Campaign Environment

Undue restrictions on the right to stand for president should be removed from the legal framework. The 10-year residency requirement should be lifted, as well as the requirement for proficiency in the state language. The restriction of candidate rights for citizens on trial or those in prison irrespective of the gravity of the crime should be repealed. Independent candidates should have the right to stand.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

Political will and respect of the legal provisions is needed to ensure that courts and the election administration act genuinely, impartially and transparently with a view to guaranteeing effective redress.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

In order to increase the transparency of the electoral process, legislation should be amended to provide for non-partisan citizen observation. Furthermore, unhindered access to all electoral stakeholders should be ensured for international observers.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Citizen and International Observers

Political will is needed to resolve the widespread and persistent practices of proxy and multiple voting. Perpetrators, including election commission members who participate or tolerate such practices, should be held accountable.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Day and Announcement of Results

A clear and detailed legislative framework for conducting elections should be established through statutory law, either in a comprehensive code or through a set of laws that operate together consistently and without ambiguities or omissions

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

Consideration could be given to amending the legislation to ensure that the CEC is appointed in an inclusive and pluralistic manner with the aim of guaranteeing its independence.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Administration

Consideration could be given to establishing uniform procedures of voter registration that would enable updates, revisions, cross checks, and the elimination of multiple entries in voter lists. Procedures for voter registration should be clearly detailed in the legislation and consistently implemented.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Voter Registration

In line with good electoral practice, the number of supporting signatures could be reduced and the restriction that citizens may sign for only one candidate could be removed.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

The legal framework governing campaign finance should be reviewed to ensure that the principles of accountability and transparency of the electoral process are respected. Possible amendments could separate the regulation of general party and campaign financing, as well as clarify provisions on public and private financing, campaign contributions and campaign expenditure, campaign finance reporting and disclosure, oversight and monitoring.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

Legislation governing the media should be extensively reviewed and could be consolidated into one comprehensive law. Overall, the legal framework should provide for a truly independent regulatory body, and exhaustive and clear criteria for the denial of registration or the suspension of media outlets.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

Undue restrictions on freedom of expression should be eliminated from the legal framework in order to foster a free campaign environment and to ensure full respect for fundamental freedoms crucial to the conduct of democratic elections. The legal framework should be revised to decriminalize defamation and distribution of false information and replace it with reasonable and proportional civil responsibility.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

Comprehensive measures such as airtime allocation to female proxies and party activists by state media outlets could be considered, in order to promote women’s participation in the political process.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Participation of Women

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

The legal framework should be amended to provide the right to lodge a complaint to every voter, candidate or political party at any stage of the electoral process, specify a timeframe for submitting complaints and their consideration, and guarantee transparency and public access to complaint proceedings. Consideration could be given to prescribing this in a law rather than in sub-legal acts.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

Authorities should guarantee the right of individuals and groups to establish political parties, without undue legislative and practical restrictions.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Background and Political Context

The legislation governing fundamental rights and freedoms should be comprehensively revised to ensure that any restrictions comply with the principles of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality in line with OSCE commitments, international standards and good practices.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Legal Framework and Electoral System

To ensure the separation of state and party, provisions related to misuse of administrative resources and participation of state officials in the election campaign, including as candidates, should be clarified.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Secondary thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Electoral Campaign

The nomination and appointment of the members of the Territorial Election Commissions and Precinct Election Commissions should be revised to ensure independence from the state and local administrations as well as from the Mahallas.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Administration

The legal framework should provide opportunities for independent candidates to stand, including by expanding the right to nominate candidates to public associations and groups of citizens.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Electoral System

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

To prevent multiple voting and ensure the integrity of voter lists in line with international good practice, robust safeguards against the misuse of supplementary voter lists should be established and enforced, and the number of voters added to these lists should be published.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Voter Registration

The Election Code and other relevant legislation should be amended to provide for genuine citizen election observation in line with the OSCE commitments.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Election Observation

The CEC should publish election results disaggregated by polling station on its website in accessible formats, as they become available to ensure transparency and accountability.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Early Voting and Election Day

To provide effective protections for the freedom of expression, the legislation governing media should be comprehensively reviewed and revised, in a consultative process and in line with ODIHR recommendations. Any restrictions, including on Internet-based resources, should strictly comply with the principles of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality and be subject to judicial oversight.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Media

The legislation should be further revised to bring it fully in line with OSCE commitments, international standards, and good practices. The next legal review should be conducted well in advance of forthcoming elections through an inclusive and transparent consultation process.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Legal Framework and Electoral System

The electoral process should be administered only by authorized bodies, and a clear distinction should be made between the roles and functions of election commission members and other officials.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Consideration should be given to transforming the Agency of Information and Mass Communications into an independent, impartial and collegial oversight body with a clear mandate, adhering to criteria of transparency and public accountability. The system of appointment of its members should ensure diversity of representation and prevent conflict of interests.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

To ensure effective legal remedy and prevent arbitrary application of the law, the provisions of the Election Code on challenging and invalidating election results should be clearly elaborated.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The legal framework for the conduct of referenda should be reviewed to regulate important aspects of the process such as campaign, campaign finance and impartial and balanced media coverage.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

In line with international standards, measures should be taken to ensure that all votes are counted and reported accurately and honestly. In particular, the legislation should provide necessary information for data cross-checking to be included in the results protocols at all levels and publication of the final results broken down by polling stations.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Day

Impartial and balanced information on all proposed amendments in a referendum should be made available to voters along with information regarding the consequences of their vote.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Legal Framework

To further facilitate the expression of a voter’s will, when revising the Constitution on multiple separate aspects, proposed changes could be presented as distinct questions to be answered individually.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Electoral System

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum System

Voter information materials prepared by the Central Election Commission should ensure the neutrality of the referendum administration. Essential aspects of the exercise of the right to vote should be clearly presented.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Administration

The legislation should be amended to explicitly provide for the possibility to challenge referendum results at all levels and clearly specify jurisdiction over such complaints.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Dispute Resolution

To ensure effective remedy, competent authorities should give full and impartial consideration to the substance of complaints, and act impartially and transparently.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Dispute Resolution

To ensure understanding and consistency in implementing voting day procedures, training should be enhanced with a particular focus on key procedural aspects.

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Day

Restrictions on candidacy based on residency, language proficiency, and affiliation to a political party should be reviewed in line with international standards. In line with the OSCE commitments, individual candidates should be allowed to stand for elections.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Party and Candidate Registration

In order to promote pluralistic and unimpeded reporting on the election campaign, accreditation requirements for representatives of mass media outlets should be lifted.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

The legal framework for media should be revised to ensure full protection of the principle of freedom of expression and equal access to information for journalists. Criminal defamation and insult provisions should be repealed in favour of civil sanctions, which should be strictly proportional to the harm caused.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

The legal provisions that hold owners of websites and bloggers liable for third-party content hosted on their platforms should be repealed.

Recommendation # in final report: 27

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To improve the integrity of the polling process and reduce the risk of multiple voting, consideration should be given to disallowing the registration of voters at polling stations on election day. There should be an administrative procedure, subject to judicial control, allowing for the registration of a voter who was not registered.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Consideration could be given to reducing the timeframe for submitting complaints and appeals in line with international good practice.

Recommendation # in final report: 31

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The CEC should consider adopting a binding regulation defining all procedures for counting of votes and tabulation of results. To better ensure awareness of these procedures at all levels, the CEC could consider adopting manuals with easy to follow step-by-step instructions and disseminate information posters.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Consideration could be given to establishing clear procedures for the verification of the data contained in the signature collection forms and the grounds for disqualification. In line with international good practice, entries on the forms should be verified with an objective of establishing the number of signatures sufficient for registration rather than identifying inaccurate signatures in a selected sample.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

Consideration could be given to introducing integrity measures related to signature collection.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

The authorities should grant civic associations and non-governmental organizations the right to independently scrutinise the electoral process, in accordance with OSCE commitments and other international standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Citizen and International Observers

To ensure legal certainty, the system establishing sanctions for election-related violations should be reviewed, with dissuasive sanctions set for all potential perpetrators and for all violations affecting the electoral process.

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The legal framework on the freedom of political and civic association, assembly and expression should be reviewed to ensure that any restrictions on the exercise of these rights are clearly prescribed by law; have the character of exception, and are imposed only when necessary in line with democratic principles.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

To ensure transparency of the election dispute resolution process and access to an effective remedy for all stakeholders, all election-related complaints should be handled by commissions collegially and in open sessions. Decisions of election commissions, courts and other relevant bodies should be reasoned, contain sufficient details and be publicly disclosed and published, in a timely manner.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

Consideration could be given to removing the possibility for voters to register on election day to avoid the possibility of multiple voting. Should election day registration be retained, additional entries should be permitted only in accordance with a clearly defined procedure subject to judicial control.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Registration

The media’s editorial policies should better ensure that female political figures, including candidates, receive coverage in the media’s editorial content that is equitable with that given to men, including during election campaign periods.

Recommendation # in final report: 29

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

The nomination and appointment of election commission members at all levels should be revised to provide for the formation of election administration bodies independent from the state and local administrations as well as from the mahallas.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Nomination and appointment of referendum commission members at all levels should be revised to provide for the formation of referendum administration bodies independent from the executive branch, local administrations, and mahallas.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Referendum Administration

Authorities should ensure a clear separation between state and party in practice. An effective sanctioning mechanism against the misuse of administrative resources should be established and implemented.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Campaign

The provisions on equal rights of candidates and parties should not be implemented in a way that prevents parties and candidates from defining and pursuing their own campaign strategies and methods, including organizing events and designing materials as they so decide, subject only to reasonable limitation.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Campaign

The authorities should continue to develop effective safeguards against multiple voting and to ensure the secrecy of the vote, which should be implemented adequately and consistently. This could include enhanced training of election staff and targeted voter education.

Recommendation # in final report: 24

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election day

To enhance transparency, the CEC should be legally required to publish disaggregated information by DEC and PEC on the total number of registered voters prior to election day as well as those registering on election day.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Registration

To enhance transparency and accountability, process of the referendum campaign finance should be clearly regulated. The requirements for detailed reporting on income and expenditures for all stakeholders and an oversight authority should be in place.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

The Election Code and other relevant legislation should be amended to provide for genuine citizen election observation in line with the OSCE commitments.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Citizen and International Observers

Independent citizen election observation should be allowed by the law, in line with OSCE commitments.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Citizen and International Observers

Restrictions on all fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression should be in strict conformity with the principles of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

The right to nominate candidates should be expanded to public associations and groups of citizens. Candidate nomination deadlines should be aligned with the timeline for party registration.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Party and Candidate Registration

Defamation and other related provisions, including ‘insult’ and dissemination of ‘false information’ should be decriminalized in line with international standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To ensure effective exercise of freedom of expression, any restrictions on the Internet should be transparent, clearly defined by law, and subject to judicial oversight.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To ensure the effective exercise of freedom of expression, any restrictions on the operation of social networks, websites and other Internet-based resources should be transparent, clearly defined by law, subject to judicial oversight and conform to the strict tests of necessity and proportionality.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

Defamation and other related provisions, including ‘insult’ and dissemination of ‘false information’ should be decriminalized, in line with international standards. Defamation laws should be exclusively civil in nature and civil remedies should be prioritized over pecuniary ones.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To promote a plurality of views, it is recommended to transform the National Television and Radio Company into a genuine public service media, with independent appointment of management and a clearly defined public mandate. The financing model of public broadcaster should ensure their financial independence. Such media should be required to provide balanced and impartial reporting in news, current affairs and discussion programmes, including in referendum coverage.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To promote a plurality of views, it is recommended to transform the National Television and Radio Company into a genuine public service media, with independent appointment of management and a clearly defined public mandate. The financing model of a public broadcaster should ensure its financial independence. As public service media it should be required to provide balanced and impartial reporting in news, current affairs and discussion programmes, including in election coverage.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To enhance transparency and confidence in the election results, preliminary and final results should be published immediately by the CEC on its website disaggregated by district and polling station. Furthermore, allowing public scrutiny of DEC tally sheets could further enhance stakeholder confidence.

Recommendation # in final report: 24

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

To enhance transparency, the CEC should publish on its website preliminary and final election results disaggregated by constituency and polling station as soon as possible after election day.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

The legal framework governing freedom of association, assembly and expression should be reviewed to ensure that any restrictions on the exercise of these are necessary, proportional and applied in line with international standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

Restrictions on the right to be elected which conflict with OSCE commitments and other international standards should be removed from the legal framework. Self-nominated candidates should be allowed to stand for presidential elections.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

To ensure a coherent electoral framework, the legislation should be reviewed to bring it further in line with OSCE commitments, international standards and good practices. The reform process should take place well in advance of the next election period and within an inclusive and transparent consultation process.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

The legislation governing fundamental rights and freedoms shall be revised to ensure that any restrictions comply with the principles of legality, legitimacy, necessity and proportionality in line with OSCE commitments, international standards and good practices.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

Any changes to the election procedures involving new technologies should be introduced upon wide public consultations, tested and followed by a public information campaign well before elections. Important safeguards, such as signatures of voters in the list of voters, should be in place to ensure accurate reconciliation of the voting results.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Important changes to the election process that involve the introduction of new technologies should enjoy broad public consensus. To increase transparency, the authorities should provide greater information on the use of technologies to voters.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

To prevent multiple voting and in line with good practice, proper safeguards should be in place for the use of supplementary lists and only those voters who changed their residence between the final publication of the voter lists and voting day should be permitted to vote.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Consideration should be given to making third parties accountable to campaign finance regulations and establishing and applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for violations related to campaign finance, with a stronger accountability mechanism.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

To guarantee equal suffrage and inclusiveness, the authorities should consider measures to enhance access to voting procedures for persons with physical disabilities and reduced mobility.

Recommendation # in final report: 25

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Participation of Persons with Disabilities

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election day

Additional measures to enhance the participation of women in public and political life should be considered, including the development of government action plans, training, educational and funding programmes, including among the judiciary and law-enforcement agencies. Further efforts could also be made by political parties including conducting gender audits, developing political party action plans and providing further support to women’s participation in political life and party leadership.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of Women

Secondary thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Background and Political Context

In line with the international standards, election management bodies should follow and implement the procedures for counting in an honest manner. To ensure consistency and understanding of the election day procedures, the training for election officials should include all key aspects of the procedures, including the sequence and performance of the counting, as well as awareness of sanctions for malpractices, such as ballot box stuffing and other falsifications of voting results.

Recommendation # in final report: 26

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election day

To enhance the integrity of election results, the CEC should publish on its website election results disaggregated by polling station.

Recommendation # in final report: 27

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election day

The relevant legislation should be amended to allow for citizen election observation by independent non-governmental civil society organizations.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Observation

To provide for a genuinely pluralistic environment, the legal framework on the freedom of political and civic association, peaceful assembly and expression should be reviewed, and lawmakers should ensure that any restrictions on the exercise of these rights be clearly prescribed by law and imposed only when necessary, in line with democratic principles. In line with international standards, the reform process should be inclusive, ensure public discussion and should be completed well in advance of the next elections.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

The legislative and administrative requirements and procedures for the registration of political parties should be revised to respect and encourage pluralism and freedom of association. Registration of political parties should be carried out strictly on the basis of objective and transparent criteria and be subject to judicial remedy.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Candidate and Party Registration

Defamation and libel should be clearly defined in the law. To comply with international standards, criminal provisions for defamation should be repealed in favour of civil remedies designed to restore the reputation harmed. Any fines imposed should be proportionate and should not infringe on freedom of speech and the freedom to express an opinion. The legal framework should not provide public officials with greater protection nor establish high penalties for statements directed at them.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

In order to strengthen the integrity of the voter registration and of the polling process, additions to the voter list on election day should only be permitted in accordance with clearly defined rules, subject to judicial or administrative control, with effective safeguards against multiple voting.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Voter Registration

To further promote voters’ political participation and pluralism, the campaign finance framework should be brought in line with international good practice. Individuals should be allowed to donate to political parties and candidates for the use of the funds for campaigning. The legislation could provide details on the amount, timeframe and method of contribution, as well as safeguards for accountability of these funds through disclosure and audit requirements for donations from private sources.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

The legal framework should be amended so that intermediaries are not held liable for any third-party content as such liability could unduly limit the scope of the public debate during the campaign. Exceptions could be provided only if such intermediaries specifically intervene in that content or refuse to obey a removal order, with relevant restrictions imposed in accordance with due process guarantees by an independent, impartial oversight body.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

Consideration could be given to developing a centralized voter register to allow for cross-checks and limit shortcomings such as multiple entries. In order to enhance the integrity of voter lists, authorities could provide data on voter registration by precinct as well as on the number and type of changes made during the voter list verification period.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Rights and Registration

Consideration could be given to developing a centralized voter register that is regularly updated and allows for crosschecks. Procedures for producing voter lists should be clearly defined and applied in a uniform manner.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Consideration should be given to ways to enhance the secrecy of the balloting system for early voting for example by using a system of double envelopes.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

To preserve integrity of the voting process and enable effective reconciliation during the count, the precinct election commissions should diligently use all safeguards, in particular, paper voter lists. Effective measures should be taken to prevent and sanction malpractices, including falsification of signatures in the voter lists, as well as undue interference with the electoral process in polling stations.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election day

To promote political participation and pluralism, the campaign finance framework should be aligned with international good practice, including by allowing individuals to donate to political parties and candidates for campaigning.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

The procedures for the composition of the election administration should be reviewed to enhance women’s participation in decision-making and leadership positions.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Participation of Women

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Special measures could be considered to further enhance the participation of women in public and political life. Additional incentives could be considered for providing more favourable conditions for candidates of the underrepresented gender to stand for elections. Political parties could consider ways to further increase gender balance and place women in electable positions on the candidate lists.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of Women

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Final report heading: Women’s Participation

Restrictions for voting on the basis of legal capacity should be reviewed in line with international obligations.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of Persons with Disabilities

Secondary thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Voter Registration

To ensure the honesty of the vote count, the CEC should put in place measures to ensure that PEC members adhere to legally established counting procedures. Any persons who knowingly falsify election results should face prosecution.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Day

To effectively respond to the right of access to information and facilitate voters’ informed choice, authorities should proactively publish institutional information of public interest in the public domain. Access to such information should be provided in an easy, prompt, effective and practical manner, facilitating a wide-range of inquiries.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

A law regulating all practical aspects of public assemblies, including campaign rallies held during pre-election period, should be adopted in line with international standards and good practice. The law should require a simple notification rather than an authorisation procedure.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

As previously recommended, in order to increase the transparency and accountability of the electoral process, the law should be amended to allow for observation by non-partisan civil society organizations.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Observation

The legal framework should include effective safeguards against the misuse of office by state and local officials, prohibit pressure on public employees, and provide for effective enforcement and proportionate sanctions for possible violations.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Campaign

To strengthen the independence of the election administration, consideration could be given to allowing the CEC the right to directly recruit DEC and PEC members through an open and competitive assessment process.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Specific and clear provisions addressing the misuse of state resources should be introduced in the legislation.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Campaign

Consideration should be given to allowing parties and candidates more latitude to plan the financing of their campaigns, including by allowing individual parties and candidates to receive donations from private sources. The legislation could provide details on the amount, timeframe and method of contribution, as well as disclosure requirements for donations from private sources.

Recommendation # in final report: 24

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

The authorities should consider ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The denial of voting rights to persons deemed by a court to be legally incapable should be reconsidered.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Participation of Persons with Disabilities

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

To bring the regulations and practice governing the functioning of civil society organizations (CSOs) into full compliance with international standards, burdensome requirements for the operation and funding of civil society organizations should be reviewed

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Citizen and International Observers

To enhance the public’s awareness of the parties’ political programmes, the media should consider increasing their coverage of parties’ and candidates’ activities during the campaign and offer programmes that analyse political and policy issues.

Recommendation # in final report: 28

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Media

To avoid repetitive claims and potentially contradictory decisions and rulings, the dual system of appeals should be reconsidered.

Recommendation # in final report: 32

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

Consideration should be given to removing the residency requirement for candidacy.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

In order to enhance the scope of the information available and to promote a plurality of views, it is recommended to transform the state television into a genuine public broadcaster, with independent appointment of management, multi-sourced funding and a clearly defined public mandate. Such broadcaster should be required to provide balanced and impartial reporting in the news and current affairs programmes, including during election coverage.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

Special voting arrangements, such as mobile voting and early voting, should be used as exceptional voting methods and only with appropriate safeguards in place. The number of voters who used mobile ballot boxes should be included in the results protocols at all levels.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Referendum Day

In line with international good practice, the use of supplementary lists could only be permitted for those who changed their residence between the final publication of the voter lists and voting day. Proper safeguards against misuse of such procedure should be in place.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

To enhance transparency and accountability in election campaigns, all campaign finance reports, including interim reports, should be published in a timely manner. Consideration should be given to establishing effective and proportionate sanctions for violations related to campaign finance.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

Consideration could be given to requiring political parties to submit interim reports on campaign expenditures prior to election day to increase transparency.

Recommendation # in final report: 25

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

Considerations could be given to amending the laws to streamline and simplify the requirements on political party financial reporting, and to ensure the timely publication of the findings by the oversight bodies.

Recommendation # in final report: 26

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

In line with international standards, the blocking of websites should not serve as a tool to control content, restrict the flow of information across borders, or as a sanction in response to critical coverage. Websites should only be blocked, based on objective and transparent criteria defined in law. Possible limitations should be content-specific, while general bans of whole websites should be avoided. The websites in question and the general public should be informed when such blockings are in place and provided with an opportunity to appeal.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Media

The legislative and administrative requirements for the registration of political parties should be revised to foster pluralism and ensure the exercise of freedom of association.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Background and Political Context

To promote genuine political pluralism, the burdensome legal and administrative procedures for registration of political parties and civil society organizations should be reviewed and aligned with international obligations, commitments and standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

The authorities should redouble efforts to eradicate the recurrent and serious problems of multiple and proxy voting, including prosecuting voters who attempt to vote more than once and PEC members that facilitate the practice.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Day

Considerations should be given to adjusting the deadline for candidate withdrawal to avoid the invalidation of votes cast, manually altering unused ballots and/or the reprinting of ballots.

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

Consideration should be given to reducing or eliminating the cost of filing complaints and appeals to the various courts to facilitate access to justice on election-related matters for individuals and legal entities.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The legal framework should include effective safeguards against the misuse of office by state and local officials, prohibit pressure on public employees, and provide for proportionate sanctions for possible violations.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Referendum Campaign

Restrictions on candidacy based on residency, language proficiency, disabilities and affiliation to a political party should be reviewed in line with international standards and commitments.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Candidate and Party Registration

To enhance transparency and safeguard the integrity of election results, the CEC should publish on its website preliminary and final election results disaggregated by constituency and polling station as soon as possible after the conclusion of the count and tabulation.

Recommendation # in final report: 24

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Day

Disproportionate or discriminatory legal provisions that impede the formation and functioning of political parties should be removed. To better ensure genuine political competition, the legislation covering the registration and functioning of political parties should be interpreted and implemented in a manner that promotes pluralism.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Legal Framework

Consideration could be given to reducing the ceiling on the number of supporting signatures that can be collected from a single territorial unit.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Candidate Registration

To ensure legal certainty, the system establishing sanctions for election-related violations should be reviewed, with dissuasive sanctions set for all potential perpetrators and for all violations affecting the electoral process with deadlines for the adjudication of the case ensuring the right to a fair trial.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The legislation should require the CEC to publish voter registration data disaggregated at the constituency and polling station level, at different stages of the electoral process, including before and after the verification of the voter lists and after election day.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Voter Registration

Women’s active participation in public and political life, especially at the senior and decision-making levels, should be facilitated by means of comprehensive legal, institutional, and educational initiatives. Political parties should be encouraged to facilitate women’s political advancement, increase visibility of women during electoral campaigns, and integrate gender issues into their platforms. With this aim, consideration could be given to increases in state funding for parties that promote gender equality, and annual state subsidies to fund women’s wings of political parties.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of Women

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Campaign

The requirement to register online information dissemination platforms, including blogs, as media outlets should be lifted and the regulatory framework governing online communication should be brought in line with relevant international standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

The CEC should take resolute actions to prevent unauthorised persons from being present in polling stations on election day and the competent authorities should prosecute those who interfere in the polling process.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Consideration should be given to repealing the five-year residency requirement for candidates and to allowing independent candidates to stand for elections in line with the OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Candidate/Party Rights and Registration

The importance of voting in person and the legal penalties for violating this requirement should be emphasized during the training of election commissions and in the voter education programme.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: Election Administration

Consideration should be given to providing voter information and election materials in other minority languages, in addition to Russian and Karakalpak, especially in areas with concentrations of those minorities.

Recommendation # in final report: 30

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of National Minorities

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2024

Final report heading: National Minorities

The ongoing efforts to review the electoral legal framework should continue to eliminate the remaining shortcomings identified in this and prior ODIHR reports through an inclusive consultative process.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

Effective measures should be taken to prevent and prosecute any undue interference with the electoral process in polling stations.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Day

The procedures and criteria for the appointment of commissioners could be specified with the aim to strengthen the independence of the PECs, including from the Mahalla committees. To ensure consistent application of the election procedures, standardized training for all PEC members should be provided.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Administration

Consideration should be given to enhancing the participation of women in decision-making roles within the election administration.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of Women

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2023

Final report heading: Election Administration

Authorities are encouraged to take steps to ensure that voters residing abroad have opportunities to exercise their right to vote in line with legal provisions.

Recommendation # in final report: 4

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Rights and Registration

Consideration could be given to removing the possibility for voters to register on election day and to establish a deadline for changes to voter lists, after which amendments would only be possible by decision of a court or higher-level election commission.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Rights and Registration

To ensure legal certainty, key aspects of the electoral process should be regulated by primary laws adopted by parliament. CEC resolutions should further clarify issues already regulated by laws. To ensure coherence of the legislation, consideration should be given to harmonizing legal provisions, including through a unified election code

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

It is recommended that the legislation affecting political parties and non-governmental organizations is revised to exclude disproportionate or discriminatory restrictions on the right to freedom of association. Any restrictions should be provided for by law, consistent with international standards, and subject to clear and narrow criteria that do not leave excessively broad margins for interpretation by the authorities.

Recommendation # in final report: 2

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Legal framework and Electoral System

Legislation governing media should provide clear and exhaustive criteria for the denial of registration, suspension of media outlets, and content removal and the blocking of online national and international media should be established and consistently and transparently applied by an independent regulatory body. All such decisions should be publicly available.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

Concerted efforts by election officials, political parties, civil society and other electoral stakeholders are needed to address practices of multiple, proxy and group voting. The CEC should ensure that the laws and regulations are implemented and that failure to do so is appropriately sanctioned.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

To ensure the secrecy of the vote, ballot design should preclude any discernible association between a ballot and a specific voter.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

The blanket restriction of suffrage rights for citizens serving prison terms regardless of the severity of the crime committed should be reconsidered to ensure proportionality between the limitation imposed and the severity of the offense.

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Rights and Registration

Consideration should be given to clearly marking political advertising to differentiate it from news broadcasts and other programming.

Recommendation # in final report: 25

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

In order to ensure the secrecy of the vote, consideration could be given to using regular ballots for early voting.

Recommendation # in final report: 16

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

The Election Law should be amended to set objective criteria for the invalidation of election results and to specify a timeframe for submitting and processing such complaints

Recommendation # in final report: 26

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

In addition to Russian and Karakalpak languages, consideration should be given to providing voter information and election materials in other minority languages, especially in areas with concentrations of those minority communities.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Participation of National Minorities

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Participation of National Minorities

CEC guidelines could be amended to ensure that parties that submit a sufficient number of valid signatures are registered and that no prospective contestants are disqualified based on inaccuracies of a limited sample of signatures.

Recommendation # in final report: 21

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Candidate/Party Rights and Registration

To enhance the transparency and confidence in the election results, the preliminary and final results should be published as soon as they are available in a format disaggregated by polling station and district.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

The Central Election Commission should make additional efforts to increase the transparency of the dispute resolution process, including creation of a dedicated publicly accessible register with all referendum related complaints, appeals and respective decisions.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not evaluated

Final report heading: Referendum Dispute Resolution

The restriction of suffrage rights for citizens serving prison terms regardless of the severity of the crime should be reconsidered to ensure proportionality between the limitation imposed and the severity of the offence. The blanket restrictions on suffrage rights of persons with mental disabilities should be reconsidered or decided on a case-by-case basis, depending on specific circumstances. The authorities should consider ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Voter Registration

All relevant laws and decrees should be reviewed and amended to ensure that any restrictions on fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression have the character of exception, are imposed only when necessary in line with democratic principles, are proportionate with a legitimate aim and are not applied in an arbitrary and overly restrictive manner.

Recommendation # in final report: 3

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Electoral System and Legal Framework

The CEC should issue clear and detailed procedural guidelines on handling the voter list.

Recommendation # in final report: 27

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Voter Registration

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

In order to be an effective mechanism to address procedural irregularities, the law could be clarified with regard to the process of initiating election-related administrative cases.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Secondary thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Legal framework and Electoral System

Uniform application of the election legislation could be strengthened by providing PEC members with more detailed and user-friendly guidance materials and by organizing interactive training for all commission members.

Recommendation # in final report: 14

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

The law should be amended to include clear, well-sequenced procedures and safeguards related to counting and tabulation. On the basis of the law, the CEC should elaborate step-by-step instructions for lower-level commissions.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Secondary thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Sub-legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

To enhance integrity of the electoral process, more robust efforts are needed to address electoral fraud both through a continued awareness campaign targeting a general audience as well as specific groups such as political parties, poll workers, youth, women and local authorities. Effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions against electoral fraud should be considered.

Recommendation # in final report: 10

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election day

As a measure to enhance transparency, all CEC decisions and other essential election-related data should be made publicly available in a timely manner, including on the CEC website.

Recommendation # in final report: 13

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

Electoral stakeholders should be able to exercise their right to assemble during an election, including during the pre-election and post-election periods. The law should be amended to require a simple notification rather than an authorization procedure

Recommendation # in final report: 17

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Campaign

To provide effective legal redress, the law should be amended to prescribe that every voter, party, candidate and observer may file a complaint on every aspect of the electoral process, including requests for recounts and the invalidation of election results, and prescribe a reasonable deadline for filing such complaints.

Recommendation # in final report: 8

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Election Dispute Resolution (EDR)

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Complaints and Appeals

The authorities should consider repealing existing legal provisions prohibiting the dissemination of false information.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

Consideration should be given to repealing criminal defamation laws in favour of proportionate civil sanctions in accordance with relevant international standards. Furthermore, measures should be taken to ensure that civil sanctions are not so large as to negatively affect freedom of expression and are designed to restore the reputation harmed, not to compensate the plaintiff or to punish the defendant.

Recommendation # in final report: 7

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

Criminal defamation provisions protecting the reputation of candidates during an election, as well as general provisions on insult, libel and the dissemination of false information should be repealed and replaced with reasonable and proportional civil sanctions.

Recommendation # in final report: 6

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

Consideration could be given to transforming the state-owned National Television and Radio Company into a public service broadcaster in order to provide citizens with impartial and politically balanced information on election campaigns.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

The legal framework should clearly stipulate authorized persons who are permitted inside a polling station. Authorities should consider mechanisms to ensure that unauthorized persons are neither permitted inside polling stations nor interfere in the work of polling staff.

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

To enable voters to support their preferred contestant, consideration should be given to permitting direct private funding to a candidate’s campaign.

Recommendation # in final report: 18

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Secondary thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Campaign Finance

To enhance transparency and in accordance with OSCE commitments, the law should explicitly provide for non-partisan citizen election observation at all stages of the electoral process.

Recommendation # in final report: 9

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Citizen and International Observation

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Observation

Clear distinction should be made between the roles of election commission members and other officials in order that the electoral process is only administered by authorized individuals.

Recommendation # in final report: 15

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

It is recommended that the ban on dissemination of election-related information be revised to avoid ambiguity and in order for the constitutional guarantee to freedom of expression to be fully implemented.

Recommendation # in final report: 11

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Secondary thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Legal framework and Electoral System

Consideration could be given to allow voters to support more than one party.

Recommendation # in final report: 20

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Candidate Registration

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Candidate/Party Rights and Registration

Consideration should be given to amend the legal framework to ensure that financial reports of political parties clearly distinguish expenditures by the party and individual candidates. To further transparency, it is recommended that such reports be made publicly available, including on the Internet, in a timely manner and contain enough detail to be useful and understandable to the general public.

Recommendation # in final report: 22

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Campaign Financing

The legal framework should be amended to ensure that all deputies in at least one of the chambers of the parliament are elected by popular vote.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Fully

Year of assessment: 2019

Final report heading: Legal framework and Electoral System

Registration of broadcast media outlets should be carried out by an independent body in order to ensure equitable opportunity of access. Consideration should also be given to repealing registration requirements for print and online media outlets, as well as accreditation requirements for journalists working with foreign media.

Recommendation # in final report: 24

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Media

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Not implemented

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Media

Disproportionate or discriminatory legal restrictions on the freedom of association should be eliminated. In addition, restrictions on activities of civil society organizations should also be reviewed and amended to comply with the ICCPR and paragraphs 9.3 and 10.3 of the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document.

Recommendation # in final report: 1

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Legal Framework

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Background and Political Context

Consideration could be given to enhancing the participation of women in decision-making roles within the election administration.

Recommendation # in final report: 12

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Administration

Secondary thematic area: Participation of Women

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Administration

The will of the voter should be respected and not be subject to interpretation by PEC members based on the type of mark on the ballot. The law should be amended to eliminate the arbitrary invalidation of ballots.

Recommendation # in final report: 23

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Election Day

Type of change required: Practice

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Day

Authorities should implement mechanisms to ensure a clear separation between the State and party to prevent candidates from using the advantage of their office for electoral purposes. In addition, an effective sanctioning mechanism against the misuse of administrative resources should be established.

Recommendation # in final report: 5

Type of recommendation: Priority

Thematic area: Campaign

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Mostly

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Election Campaign

To enhance transparency, consideration should be given to introducing legal requirements for periodic, timely and transparent reporting on campaign income and expenditures, including prior to election day. In addition, oversight authorities should be required to publish their conclusions. Effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions for breach of campaign finance regulations could be introduced.

Recommendation # in final report: 19

Type of recommendation: Other

Thematic area: Campaign Finance

Type of change required: Legal

Status of implementation: Partially

Year of assessment: 2021

Final report heading: Campaign Finance