EU Election Observer Mission to publish final report after Iraqi elections: Official
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel, the chief observer of the European Union’s Election Observation Mission, during a press conference on Saturday said that the body she heads will prepare a preliminary statement two days after the Iraqi elections scheduled for October 10 and a final report two months after the vote.
“I will return in about two weeks to continue my observation. I will personally observe on election day and deliver to you on 12 October the preliminary statement with the main findings of the EU election observers up to this day,” she said.
The EU Mission “will publish a final comprehensive report with recommendations for future elections in some two months after the conclusion of the electoral process.”
“We take note of everything, which was reported, and we have heard a lot about repression against any candidate, independent candidates, but especially female candidates, that’s for sure,” she told Kurdistan 24 in an exclusive interview. “And we put everything in the report. We are very much aware of the situation that happened and is still ongoing.”
The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and civil society groups have earlier received reports of hate speech against women running in the upcoming vote, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for UNAMI Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said during a press conference on September 7.
Read More: UNAMI monitors hate speech against female candidates in Iraq's elections
Von Cramon-Taubadel noted however that it is still early to make a final judgment on this issue. “But of course, we received a lot of information on this.”
She added that in addition to a core team of 12 team members, including herself, they have deployed 20 long-term observers since Friday and will likely have an additional group of members of parliament and observers around the country.
“We will probably see 45 observers from the diplomatic communities,” she told Kurdistan 24. She said they have around a total of 80 observers for this mission. “And of course, we also rely on local observers, where we get information and where we have conversation and exchange.”
Related Article: EU observers will only observe, not interfere in Iraqi elections: official
Over the past few days, Von Cramon-Taubadel also met with the Iraqi president, the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), the Kurdistan Region prime minister, the head of the Election Supreme Security Committee as well as minority leaders and activists in both Baghdad and Erbil.
“In my meetings I stressed the importance of the 2021 parliamentary elections for Iraq and its peoples,” she added.
Kurdish officials are especially concerned about the election outcome in areas disputed between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani during a meeting with Von Cramon-Taubadel earlier on Saturday expressed his “hope that the electoral process will be conducted in a peaceful and fair atmosphere, far from attempts at fraud and violence, especially in the Kurdish areas outside the administration of the region.”
Read More: Kurdistan PM: Iraqi election will hopefully be 'far from attempts at fraud and violence'
The Deputy Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament Hemin Hawrami and representatives of the Kurdish legislature also met with Von Cramon-Taubade earlier on Saturday, and underlined the importance of an “inclusive, free and fair vote without fraud, especially in disputed territories.”
During the press conference, Von Cramon-Taubade also confirmed that she talked to Kurdish representatives on Saturday, who had a “long list with remarks and comments and questions and concerns.”
The EU official concluded the press conference by saying that these elections can be seen as historic for both the European Union and Iraq.
“This is the first time that the EU is sending an observation mission to Iraq and I’m proud to lead the mission.”