OSCE will not be present at Belarus presidential election

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has officially confirmed its decision to decline observing the upcoming presidential election in Belarus.

The main reason was the late nature of the invitation sent by the Belarusian authorities.

As early as 9 January, the OSCE expressed regret over the inability to send an observer mission, emphasising that its absence was due to the untimely invitation. 

The organisation reminded that elections held under Alexander Lukashenko's regime have repeatedly faced harsh criticism from the international community. In their view, the transparency of the electoral process has significantly deteriorated following the events of 2020, making objective observation even more difficult.

Only on 16 January, just days before the election, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry sent an official invitation to observers. However, the OSCE deemed this offer insincere and confirmed its decision to refrain from participating in the monitoring of the electoral process.