19/01/2024 (Agence Europe) – The European Union has taken note of the provisional results of the 14 January elections in the Comoros, in which President Azali Assoumani was declared the winner, but is “closely monitoring the electoral process”, stressed the spokeswoman for the European External Action Service in a press release on Friday 19 January. She expressed the EU’s concern about “the malfunctions, irregularities and electoral fraud” denounced by the opposition. The EU considers the selective and late accreditation of election observers to be “regrettable”. “The EU is particularly concerned by reports of post-electoral violence and clashes between opponents and the security forces, which left at least one person dead and six injured on 18 January. It calls on all stakeholders to assert their legitimate interests while respecting the rule of law, and highlights the obligation of the Comorian authorities to guarantee at all times the right to freedom of expression, assembly and peaceful demonstration”, adds the press release. (AN)