Business Ethiopia
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zanawi named the final European Union Election Observer Mission report released last week, "trash and useless, which deserve to be thrown to a garbage".
Responding to Ethiopian Television journalist on his way back from Seoul G 20 meeting, Meles said: “anybody who has access to paper and ink can scribble whatever they want.”
“The report is not about our election. It is just the view of some western neo-liberalists who are not happy about the strength of the ruling party,” he said in the news the national television of the country transmitted this afternoon (November 14, 2010).
Meanwhile, EU-EOM’s final report about the over all election of the country indicated that the process and the results are below international election standards.
“The transparency of the process was considered unsatisfactory in 40% of observed cases. Certain essential forms for the correct transmission of results to the national level were not filled in numerous constituencies,” the report noted.
“The National Electoral Board announced provisional results less than 48 hours after polling stations closed, thanks to a parallel system of communication allowing for the aggregation of polling station results at the national level. The consolidation process at constituency level was considered very problematic according to EU EOM observers”.
It further stated that in 27% of cases observed, polling station results were different to those previously recorded by observers at polling stations. “In several cases, incomplete or incorrect forms from polling stations were corrected or completed at constituency electoral offices.”
The report also indicated that the ruling party had monopoly over state resources such as media during the election campaign.
In addition, it noted that 72 candidates withdrew during the campaign period, often alleging intimidation and harassment as well as financial constraints and perceived bias in the local National Electorate Board structures.
Relatively small political parties withdrew completely, and four regional parties in the Somali Region boycotted the elections altogether. In Central Tigray, the AEUP withdrew its candidates, claiming a lack of financial support from its headquarters.
“As a result, the ruling party stood alone in 36 constituencies, 16 in the Somali Region, three in Amhara Region, five in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region (SNNPR), one in Tigray and 11 in Oromia,” EU-EOM final report stated.
The EU-EOM report was primarily scheduled to be released in August 2010, which is a month before the new parliamentarians take their seats.
Source: Business Ethiopia