Brussels, 23/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - Given the campaign of violence and intimidation against the opposition and its supporters in Zimbabwe, the EU fully understands the reasons why Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition, has withdrawn from the run-off with Robert Mugabe in the presidential elections on 27 June. As soon as Tsavangirai had announced his decision, High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana said, on 22 June, that “the withdrawal of Mr Morgan Tsvangirai … is understandable, given the unacceptable systematic campaign of violence, obstruction and intimidation led by the Zimbabwean authorities, which has continued for several weeks. In these conditions, the elections have become a travesty of democracy. They are certainly not worthy of the African continent of today”.
In a statement issued on the same day, the Presidency of the EU said it “deeply deplores the circumstances that led to this decision”, adding, “For the resolution of the current crisis as well as for the future of Zimbabwe, it is of crucial importance that Zimbabweans have the possibility to exercise their fundamental democratic right to vote and freely express their political will”. Expressing its concern over the possible effects of the crisis on the stability of the region, the Slovenian Presidency called on the African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to show determination in order to help resolve the crisis.
Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said that Tsvangirai's decision was “fully understandable” given that his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had been prevented from campaigning. In a press release, Michel said: “All African observers currently in Zimbabwe that we have talked to have told us that they eye-witnessed acts of intimidation, violence and crimes perpetrated by Zanu-PF supporters against the MDC. We now expect that the African leaders … will condemn in the strongest terms the current situation in Zimbabwe”. (A.N./transl.rt)