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Poland refuses to accept OSCE observers for early elections

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WARSAW, September 22 (RIA Novosti) - Poland has refused to grant the permission for observers from a European security watchdog to monitor early parliamentary elections scheduled for October 21, a foreign ministry's spokesman said Saturday.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), whose goal is to secure political stability in the region, has earlier asked the Polish government to allow its experts to monitor the elections in response to warnings of a possible vote fraud, voiced by Polish opposition.

Robert Szaniawski said that while requesting the presence of its observers in Poland the OSCE "has not put forward any accusations of possible violations during early elections in the country."

The request has angered the Polish authorities, prompting Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga to remark that Poland had always been a stable democracy and had always held open, transparent and democratic elections despite criticism from opposition.

Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and opposition leaders agreed in August that early parliamentary elections would be held this October to end the political crisis in the country.

Poland's parliament has been locked in a standoff between the ruling Law and Justice Party led by Kaczynski's twin brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and two smaller parties in the coalition.

The political unrest erupted after the president dismissed Andrzej Lepper, deputy premier and agriculture minister, on corruption allegations in early July at the prime minister's request.

Lepper's Self Defense party responded by quitting the ruling coalition.

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