Uzbekistan Why OSCE ODIHR observation matters - Ambassador Gacek

To nobody's surprise, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has been returned for a third term with more than 87% of the vote, according to the official tally, in an election that left many Uzbeks questioning Mirziyoyev's long-standing promises of democratic reform. The Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the principal institution of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, sent roughly 300 monitors to observe Sunday's balloting. They concluded that the election "was technically well-prepared but took place in a political environment lacking genuine competition." The organization added diplomatically that "substantial changes are needed to provide a sound legal basis for the conduct of democratic elections." With 11 experts in Tashkent and 24 long-term specialists deployed throughout the country since early June, head of mission Ambassador Urszula Gacek pointed out that her team's voter turnout estimate is lower than the official numbers presented by the country's Central Election Commission. Watch VOA's exclusive interview with Ambassador Gacek about her job, mission, and why the OSCE ODIHR observations and assessments matter.