The European Commission Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Malawi elections addressed member of the media in Blantyre on Friday led by head of the mission Chief Observer Luisa Morgantini, an Italian member and Vice-President of the European Parliament.
Morgantini said the EU will be observing Malawi electons due May 19 following an invitation by the Electoral Commission.
President Bingu wa Mutharika will face a big challenge in the presidential race as John Tembo of MCP is being backed by major opposition parties in a coalition.
She explained that the mission has a core team of six election experts who arrived in Blantyre on 7 April 2009. They are joined by 29 long term observers who are being deployed throughout the country and will follow the different phases of the election including the campaign, the organisation of the elections, voting and the post electoral period.
Forty eight short term observers will be deployed prior to the elections to observe voting, counting and the tabulation process, as well as the publication of results.
"The Malawian people will be called to elect a new parliament and president on 19 May 2009. I am honored to be here in Malawi with my team to observe this important political event. We hope that these elections will mark another important step in Malawi's democratic development and that the Malawian people will be able to make an informed choice at the poll in a peaceful and calm environment" Chief Observer Luisa Morgantini stated.
"I would like to thank the Electoral Commission for inviting us to Malawi and I would like to assure the people of Malawi of our independence and neutrality and therefore make a contribution to the transparency and credibility of the electoral process," she said.
The Chief Observer will present a preliminary statement to the public shortly after election day.
A final report will be issued approximately two months later which Morgantini said will be a more extensive and detailed analysis of the electoral process and will include a number of recommendations in view of improving, if necessary, certain aspects of the electoral process.
The Chief Observer said the mission's general mandate is to assess elections against international and regional standards for democratic elections.
Their role will be to "observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results," the EU's executive arm in Brussels, the European Commission, said in a statement.
The observation mission said it will work independently to fulfill its mandate to conduct a
comprehensive assessment of the electoral process and to offer an impartial, balanced and
informed analysis of the elections.
"The presidential and legislative elections in Malawi on the 19 May are crucial for the consolidation of the democratisation process in the country. Therefore it is essential that these elections are conducted in a credible and transparent manner, in accordance with international and regional standards," said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU's external affairs commissioner.
The election monitoring mission will cost 2.8 million euros (3.6 million dollars), with the funds taken from the EU's European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).
The EU mission in Malawi will stay in the country until June 13 in order to assess the post-election period, officials in Brussels said.
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