279 observers to observe April 21 presidential elections in North Macedonia

SKOPJE, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will send a total of 279 observers to observe the April 21 presidential elections in North Macedonia, head of the ODIHR Corien Jonker said here on Tuesday.

The ODIHR mission held a press conference on the occasion of the formal opening of the presidential election observation in North Macedonia.

Jonker told reporters that 11 experts and 18 long-term observers will be seated in Skopje and other 250 short-term observers will join the mission a few days prior to the elections and will be sent across the country.

"The mission will observe the administering of the elections at all levels, voter registration, candidates, campaign financing and media reporting," Jonker said.

The ODIHR mission's deployment in North Macedonia follows an invitation from the country's foreign ministry.

The term of the current North Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov ends on May 12.

Three candidates will run for presidency in North Macedonia -- Stevo Pendarovski, nominated by the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) party, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, backed by the largest opposition VMRO-DPMNE party and Blerim Reka, an independent candidate backed by the Albanian opposition in North Macedonia.