EU decision on deploying polls-time mission depends on exploratory team’s report: Eamon Gilmore
The visiting EU special representative for human Rights held a meeting with Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq at the Secretariat on Tuesday (25 July).
The European Union will decide on deploying an election observation mission during Bangladesh's next national election after reviewing a report by the pre-election exploratory team, said Eamon Gilmore, the visiting EU special representative for human Rights.
"We just had an election exploratory mission that talked with many people who have functions and relations with elections. They are preparing their report which will go to the high representative who will then decide whether or not to deploy an election observation mission," he said during a joint press briefing after a meeting with Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq at the Secretariat on Tuesday (25 July).
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The meeting discussed a few issues including the Digital Security Act, labour rights and data protection.
The European Union's six-member Election Exploratory Mission arrived in Dhaka on 9 July to survey the atmosphere ahead of the next national election.
The delegation, which concluded the visit on 23 July, included Dimitra Ioannou, Alves Chritina Dos Ramos, Miller Ian James, Chamagne Christopher and Marie-Helene Enderlin.
The main objective of the visiting mission was to assess the "advisability, usefulness and feasibility" of a possible EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to the EU Mission in Dhaka.
The mission, during its visit, held discussions with different political parties, the Election Commission, and civil society members.