December 2, 2004

ENCOURAGING CIVIL SOCIETY MONITORING OF ELECTIONS

The U.S. Embassy commends civil society organizations in Romania for their important work in fielding independent observers for Romania's November 28 parliamentary elections and the first round of presidential elections. These organizations provided invaluable insight on the conduct of the elections.

We recognize the valid concerns expressed by many organizations about numerous irregularities during the vote. Rather than stepping away from the second round of the presidential vote, however, we urge independent groups again to provide a robust civil society monitoring presence on December 12. Independent civil society organizations are an absolutely essential component of Romanian democracy. During elections, they can and should play a critical role in ensuring citizens have a full and accurate understanding of how the vote is carried out.