Brussels, 13/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - A “pioneer team” from the EU will be in Algiers at the end of January “for discussions with the Algerian administration on sending observers to the forthcoming legislative elections” in spring 2012, the head of the EU delegation in Algiers announced at a conference-debate at the Higher National School of Journalism and Information Science (ENSJSI) on Thursday of last week.
EU Ambassador Laura Baeza made clear, local media report, that this mission had been organised in concert with the authorities of the country. Baeza said that the EU had received “an official request from the Algerian government for European observers at the legislative elections”. The pioneer team will draft a report prior to the signing of a memorandum of understanding setting out the conditions under which the observation missions will work, it is believed.
Baeza also broached the thorny issue of migration of Algerian nationals to Europe. She recalled the “partnership for mobility” in the area of immigration, which the EU would like to put in place with its European neighbourhood policy partner countries. “This seeks to facilitate procedures for granting visas to certain categories of person, including students, researchers and business people”, according to daily al-Watan. (FB/transl.rt)