| Lima - The Head of the EOM of the EU in
Peru released to the local press her first impressions.
Peru has the conditions to have a fair
and transparent electoral process.
Mrs. Zetterberg declared to
have been positively impressed by the work being done by the Peruvian electoral
authorities, since a complete change has occurred inside these same authorities.
The Head of the EOM
recognises the will and the desire of the electoral authorities to comply with the task of
guaranteeing a fair and free electoral process.
Mrs. Eva Zetterberg,
vice-President of the Swedish Parliament, at the end of her first visit to Peru, which
lasted one week, announced that the Core Team of the Mission (composed by the Deputy Head
of Mission, Mr. Clavero, and 4 experts in different fields of election observation) will
stay in Lima to follow the entire process.
Moreover, Saturday 10th
of March, some 12 Long Term Observers will arrive from Europe with the aim to ensure
observation in various parts of the country. In addition, 33 Short Term Observers will
come to Peru to observe the voting procedures on election day.
The EU will also send a
parliamentary delegation to observe the vote in Lima. The delegation will reach Peru by
the beginning of April and will be composed of 8 MEP and 5 or 6 consultants.
Mrs. Zetterberg declared to
have been positively impressed by the work being done by the Peruvian electoral
authorities and by the level of preparation achieved up to now. She said she realised that
a complete change had occurred inside the relevant public authorities, and expressed hope
that they will be able to proceed in this way until the conclusion of the electoral
process.
Asked if she thought that
the conditions for a fair electoral process are given, the Head of the EOM remarked that
she recognises the will and the desire of the electoral authorities to comply with the
task of guaranteeing a fair and free electoral process; and that, so far, she has the
feeling that the standards necessary to reach this goal are existing.
The HOM said that, of
course, the affaire Montesinos and the so called "Vladivideos" (tapes
where the former factotum of the ex-President Fujimori, Vladimiro Montesinos, is
shown in the attitude of bribing a number of relevant representatives of the past regime)
are strongly affecting the campaign, but on the other hand, the electoral process cannot
wait for the end of all investigations, since these might take years to be cleared-up.
Mrs. Zetterberg finally
declared to have been positively impressed by the present Peruvian Government, in
particular by President Valentín Paniagua, and Prime Minister Javier Pérez de Cuellar,
since they have been able to organize the country in a very difficult period. She added
that the tasks of the future President and Congress will be even harder, since they will
have to gain the confidence of the Peruvian people in order to bear responsibility for a
new and complicate phase in the history of the country. |
