PRESS RELEASE privind reuniunea Comitetului Executiv al Asociației Oficialilor Electorali Europeni (ACEEEO) în România (7 martie 2014)

Regarding the Assembly of ACEEEO (Association of European Election Officials) Executive Board meeting in Romania (March 7, 2014)

The Permanent Electoral Authority (PEA) of Romania informs that Friday, March 7, 2014, hosted in Braşov, the Executive Board meeting of the Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO), whose presidency is held by Mrs. Ana Maria Pătru, the President of the Permanent Electoral Authority.

On the upcoming European Parliament Elections, the President of ACEEEO proposed a message to be send, on behalf of the Association to those States of the European Union that are also members of the ACEEEO, in order to encourage voter participation in elections for the European Parliament. All the participants agreed to this proposal.

It was also analyzed the possibility to develop and expand the Association.

” We all know that ACEEEO is an organization with a prestigious tradition. This strong foundation requires us to be always focused towards future. Attracting new members is always one step ahead, and the involvement of as many international events reflects a concern for electoral assistance activities in this global socio-political context”, stated the President of ACEEEO, Mrs. Ana Maria Pătru.

Within ACEEEO Executive Board two special guests were invited on behalf of the High National Election Commission (HNEC) of Libya, Mr. Nuri Al-Abbar, the Chairman of HNEC and Mr. Khaled El-Sahli, commissioner. On this occasion PEA Romania and HNEC of Libya have signed a partnership agreement that seeks to ensure support for democratic processes in the two countries and strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of knowledge management, exchange of information and experience in electoral matters.

"They have expressed the desire to be with us, to learn from the experience of the ACEEEO, as a promoter at regional level of institutionalization and professionalism of democratic procedures in the electoral field. On this occasion they shared some of their achievements and challenges after the second post-revolutionary ballot in Libya", concluded ACEEEO President, Mrs. Ana Maria Pătru.

This year Romania hosts several important events in the field of electoral management, both at European and internationally level. In addition to the Executive Board meeting, which took place Friday in Braşov, the Permanent Electoral Authority held from 7 to 8 March an international workshop with the aim to strengthen the capacity of women's participation in the electoral process, both as voters and as candidates.

With the assumption of the Presidency of ACEEEO, Romania was chosen to organize the General Assembly and the 23^rd Annual Conference of ACEEEO, events that will take place in September this year.

The Association of European Election Officials is an independent regional electoral organization with legal status based on international law. ACEEEO mission, according to the Charter, is to provide a non-partisan forum, independent of national governments, for exchange of information among election officials and experts through Europe, to discuss and act upon ways to promote open and transparent elections with the objective of supporting good governance and democracy.

11.03.2014 Communication and International Affairs Department