Brussels, 21/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is preparing a 15-member EU election observation mission for the first elections of a National Assembly in Bhutan scheduled to take place on 24 March 2008. Headed by MEP José Javier Pomés Ruiz (EPP-ED, Spain) the EU election observation mission will be leaving on Friday 22 February and will stay for a period of seven weeks on the ground. The EU attaches great importance to the process of democratic transition in Bhutan, including the elections and the adoption of the constitution. These legislative elections will be the first multiparty general elections ever organised in Bhutan, which had no parliamentary monarchy until now. The elections are part of a gradual, peaceful process towards democracy, orchestrated by the monarchy. In recent years, a written Constitution has been sketched out, several new constitutional bodies have been set up and the National Council (the parliament's upper house) has been elected. Legislative elections on 24 March will complete the process.
The electoral observation mission will be composed of six electoral experts, including one observer-in-chief, who will be deployed on 22 February 2008 and tasked with coordinating the monitoring of the whole electoral process. There will also be nine long-term observers, to be deployed one week later with the task of assessing the electoral campaign and the pre-election preparations in the country and to observe the ballot, vote counting and publication of results. The EU electoral observation mission will remain in the country until ten days after the elections to observe the post-election period. (O.J.)