A 13 member-delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe carried out a mission from 18 to 21 November and observed the local elections on 20 November. On Election Day, eight Congress teams were deployed in the capital Ljubljana and other municipalities throughout the country to observe the voting procedures at the polling stations.

Prior to the Election Day, the delegation, led by David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE), met with representatives of the diplomatic corps, the Ministry of Public Administration of Slovenia, the State Election Commission, and the Office of the Government for National Minorities. Meetings were also scheduled with the Secretary General of the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia and domestic NGOs active in the field of elections and media representatives.  

The programme also included meetings with Zoran Jankovic, Mayor of Ljubljana, Vladimir Prebilic, Mayor of Kocevje and Head of the Slovenian delegation to the Congress, Ales Bržan, Mayor of Koper, Jasna Softic, Deputy-Mayor of Koper and member of the Slovenian delegation to the Congress and Stojan Auer, municipal councillor of Maribor and Deputy-Head of the Slovenian delegation to the Congress. Finally, the delegation held an exchange of views with representatives and candidates of political parties running in the local elections.

The preliminary conclusions were presented by the Head of the delegation at a press briefing in Ljubljana on Monday, 21 November, at 11:00 CETS (Venue: City Hotel, Ljubljana, Room CI).

Congress members:

Mr David ERAY (R, EPP/CCE), Switzerland, Head of delegation
Mr Joris BENGEVOORD (L, SOC/G/PD), Netherlands
Ms Majlinda BUFI (R, SOC/G/PD), Albania
Ms Carla DEJONGHE (R, ILDG), Belgium
Ms Jana FISCHEROVA (L, ECR), Czech Republic
Ms Samira HUSEYNOVA (L, SOC/G/PD), Azerbaijan
Mr Jani KOKKO (SOC/G/PD), Finland
Mr Matija KOVAC (R, EPP/CCE), Serbia
Ms Gobnait NI MHUIMHNEACAIN (L, ILDG), Ireland
Ms Véronique PACAUT (L, EPP/CCE), France
Mr Carlo RIVA VERCELLOTTI (R, ECR), Italy
Ms Bryony RUDKIN (L, SOC/G/PD), United Kingdom
Ms Hanna ZAMAZIEIEVA (R, ILDG), Ukraine

Expert: Ms Christina BINDER, Member of the Group of Independent Experts of the Congress (Austria)

See also: Congress webpage on the observation of local and regional elections

Contact: Renate Zikmund, renate.zikmund@coe.int