Habsburg Douglas appointed to lead OSCE election observers in Kyrgyzstan
10:06, 9 September 2011
COPENHAGEN. September 9. KAZINFORM OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Walburga Habsburg Douglas of Sweden has been appointed to lead the short term OSCE observer mission to the presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan 30 October.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chair-in-Office Audronius Azubalis made the appointment on the recommendation of OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou, who previously named Habsburg Douglas head of the OSCE PA observation delegation, the press service of the OSCE PA reports.
The October vote is to be the first presidential election since April 2010 violent protests which led to the ouster of President Bakiev, and began moving the Kyrgyz Republic toward a parliamentary democracy. The election will be among the first in the region with no incumbent on the ballot as well. President Roza Otunbayeva who led the political reforms in the country since April 2010 is stepping down.