December 12 (SeeNews) - While Macedonia's main political forces agreed to a series of legal and institutional changes to provide for a level playing field in Sunday's snap vote, the atmosphere was characterised by widespread public mistrust in institutions and the political establishment, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday.
"Underlying issues such as those related to the media and voter registration have yet to be addressed in a sustainable manner," OSCE said in a statement published on its website.
"The high turnout testifies that the voters understood the crucial role good elections play in the future of their country, "Roberto Battelli, special co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, said in the statement. “The political establishment now has a responsibility to live up to these expectations."
OSCE also said that while fundamental freedoms were generally respected, there were allegations of voter intimidation and widespread pressure on civil servants, verified by observers in a dozen of cases.
Inefficient internal organization, politicized decision-making and shortened legal deadlines hampered the preparations of the State Elections Commission (SEC) for the elections, OSCE said. It added that SEC's activities were not always transparent.
Election day was generally well administered and proceeded without major incidents, OSCE said.