27. The proposed regulation may pose a significant risk of exploiting the declaration of a state of emergency or martial law for political gain rather than as a genuine response to an urgent crisis. To prevent this outcome, the Venice Commission and ODIHR recommend several amendments. Firstly, as a fundamental principle, the law should prioritise the temporary halt of the electoral process (its suspension) over its complete termination, depending on the specific situation and the length of the emergency situation. The electoral process whenever it is possible should resume after the state of emergency is lifted. Fully terminating the electoral process should only be considered as an ultimate option when no other less drastic alternatives are available or when the emergency situation continues for a longer period. Secondly, the suspension of elections after voters have already cast their votes should be avoided, and alternative vote-counting methods should be provided if the usual mechanisms are not feasible due to the state of emergency.