Brussels, 26/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - According to a report by the EU observer mission, the Ethiopian elections of 15 May this year were marred by a catalogue of irregularities, reports Reuters. After a nearly three-month counting process, the results were announced on 9 August, gave prime minister Meles Zenawi's Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front victory, a victory that the opposition refuses to accept. The report presented in Addis Ababa on 25 August by Portuguese Socialist MEP Ana Gomes (chief election observer) states that 'in several important aspects, international standards for genuine democratic elections were not met.' The report adds that unrest over alleged vote-rigging led to the police shooting dead at least 36 protesters and arresting thousands more in June. One important witness of alleged election fraud has been killed. The report adds 'the climate of threats and intimidation was maintained throughout the complaints investigation process.' Ana Gomes told reporters that 'until 15 May when voting started, the picture was positive. After that day we had good and negative sides.'
Ana Gomes said she was considering suing a state-run daily newspaper the Ethiopian Herald for defamation after it suggested she (and the head of the European Commission office in Ethiopia, Tim Clarke) was favouring opposition parties. According to BBC Monitoring Africa, the European Commissioners for External Relations and Development, Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Louis Michel, respectively, expressed 'deep surprise and concern' on 22 August about the Ethiopian Herald's accusations, adding: 'Allegations made in the article are completely without foundation and are totally unacceptable. Both Ms Gomes and Mr Clarke are people of integrity who have played a very important role in their respective mandates throughout this difficult election process. They continue to have our full support.