Brussels, 29/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - In response to an official invitation by the authorities in Madagascar, the European Union is to send an electoral monitoring mission to the country for the legislative ballot of 15 December. The European Commission has just approved the funding, to the tune of some 974,000 euro, for this operation in support of the early legislative elections that President Ravalomana undertook to organise swiftly and that should be an important step on the path to the country's political stabilisation. Madagascar has indeed to extricate itself from the serious political and economic crisis that resulted from a dispute over the outcome of the presidential elections of 16 December 2001.
With the presence and fact finding operations of European observers, the Union intends enhancing the transparency of the electoral process and confidence in the outcome. The Commission hopes that the mission will help dissipate possible tensions before, during and after the ballot, and prevent any irregularities and acts of violence linked to the electoral process.
A basic team of six experts used to electoral processes, logistics, as well as the media will be based in Antananarivo to co-ordinate the work of the monitors deployed in the country. 14 long-term monitors will be in place at least one month before the elections to monitor, at local level, the smooth running of the electoral campaign, administrative preparations, the vote and the counting of votes and the post-electoral period. 46 short-term monitors, deployed in the days preceding the elections, will help monitor the latest events of the campaign, the ballot itself and the counting of votes.
Initial conclusions of the electoral monitoring mission will be presented to the press. A final report will be drawn up after the elections to detail the conclusions and recommendations of the European monitors.