Eurasian Observatory for Democracy and Elections

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Eurasian Observatory for Democracy and Elections (EODE) is a Russia-based Eurasianist non-governmental organization which on its website claims that it monitors elections. [1] [2] According to its website, it specializes in the "self-proclaimed republics" (Abkhazia, Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh). [3] [1] It is led by the Belgian activist Luc Michel [4] and Jean-Pierre Vandersmissen. Both Michel and Vandermissen are followers of the Belgian Neo-Nazi politician Jean-François Thiriart. [5] [6] [7]

Oliver Bullough, writing for The New Republic , reported in 2014 that the organization stated on its website that it shared the values of "the current Russian leadership and V. V. Putin." [8] The organization states that is committed to a multi-polar world and is critical of what it sees as a unipolar world dominated in the twenty-first century by the United States and NATO. It is opposed to the imposition of western values and the identification of the western-style parliamentary system of democracy as a universal norm not open to criticism. [9]

EODE visited Crimea during the 2014 Crimean referendum and claimed that the referendum was conducted in a legitimate manner. [10] [11]

The organization has offices in Moscow, Paris, Brussels, Sochi and Chișinău. [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 Orenstein, Mitchell (March 2014). "Putin's Western Allies. Why Europe's Far Right Is on the Kremlin's Side". Foreign Affairs.
  2. Luc MICHEL (2013-02-10). "EODE: A non-aligned NGO!". Eurasian Observatory for Democracy & Elections. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  3. Luc MICHEL (2014-03-19). "EODE Press Office / SABOTAGE AND RESTRICTIONS: THE REFERENDUM ON SELF-DETERMINATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA UPSETS!". Eurasian Observatory for Democracy & Elections. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2014-04-20.
  4. jek, kat (2014-03-19). "Cestu Šarapatky na Krym platila organizace ultrapravicového aktivisty". Czech Television. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  5. Shekhovtsov, Anton (23 March 2014). "European right-wing extremists and other pro-Russian activists 'observed' the Crimean 'referendum'". Searchlightmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  6. Snyder, Timothy (March 2014). "Far-Right Forces are Influencing Russia's Actions in Crimea". New Republic.
  7. "The Kremlin's marriage of convenience with the European far right". openDemocracy. 17 February 2015.
  8. Bullough, Oliver (March 2014). "The Crimean Referendum to Join Russia Was an Unconstitutional Sham". New Republic. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
  9. "Eurasian Observatory for Democracy & Elections (EODE)". /www.eode.org.
  10. 1 2 Sandra Štefaniková (2014-03-19). "Politici jeli na Krym s extremisty. Bylo to narychlo, říkají". Aktuálně.cz. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  11. spa (Šárka Pálková) (2014-03-20). "Berkovcova mise na Krym. Tají organizátora i financování". Lidovky.cz. Retrieved 2014-03-22.