22/09/2020 (Agence Europe) – The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy said on Monday 21 September that “the conditions have not been met” for the EU to observe the Venezuelan parliamentary elections, currently scheduled for December. Nevertheless, “there is an opportunity”, Josep Borrell said, despite the divisions within the opposition to the Maduro regime. He also added: “In order to send an election observation mission, the schedule of the elections should be reviewed, because we need five or six months before the election takes place”. The Europeans have set further conditions for the deployment of an election observation mission, such as an overhaul of the National Electoral Council and the fair and safe participation of all political parties in the parliamentary elections (see EUROPE 12545/8). (MB)