“A spirit of democracy in Afghanistan”

Published: 20 August 2009 y., Thursday

Afganistano moterys
20 August the second presidential election in the history of Afghanistan is taking place. The EU provides assistance to support the democratisation process. But it is the Afghans themselves who are running the election.

“There is a sense and a spirit of democracy in Afghanistan. That spirit is crying out to be expressed. The EU and others are here and offer support, but it is an Afghan-run election and that is a positive sign”, says Svante Kilander, Sweden’s Ambassador and representative of the EU Presidency in Afghanistan.

The polling stations opened at 7.00 local time and voting is still going on, so Svante Kilander cannot give any predictions or information about voter turnout.
“We will receive information throughout the day from sources including the UN System and later also from the EU team of election observers who are out at the polling stations.”

Corruption important election issue

According to Svante Kilander, one of the most important election issues is corruption.
“It is a major problem that is widespread in the country. I think the candidates and voters are all agreed on this”, he says.

Two women are contesting the election. They were the first to be invited to the meetings that the Swedish Embassy held with around ten candidates ahead of the election.
“It is important that there are female candidates. They spoke a lot about the position and rights of Afghan women. Both candidates have also been featured in international and Swedish media.”

Experience of democratisation

Afghanistan’s President is elected for five years. Some 40 candidates are contesting the election. However, there can also be a second round and then the electoral process takes longer. The first democratic election was held in 2004, when the current President Hamid Karzai came to power.
“The EU will hold a dialogue with the government and President who take over. We can also act as a sounding board. The new EU Member States in particular have important experience that they can share when it comes to the democratisation process.”

The EU is involved in Afghanistan both politically and through development assistance, and has a major presence there to help and support the Afghan people in the building up of the country.
“The EU is here and is contributing to the process that is underway in Afghanistan. Now there is the presidential election and within the next year there will also be parliamentary elections. So this is not a one-off event, it is a part of larger context in which the EU plays a significant role.”

EU countries met the candidates

Ahead of the election, the Swedish Embassy, representing the EU Presidency, arranged meetings between each of the most important presidential candidates and all the EU embassies in the country.

“We have spoken with each of the candidates and put questions to them, the same type of questions that would be asked in an election campaign in Europe. We have had very good and interesting meetings that have been really appreciated by the EU countries, and I think also by the presidential candidates”, says Svante Kilander.


 

Šaltinis: europa.eu
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.

Facebook Comments

New comment


Captcha

Associated articles

The most popular articles

Suspected pirates attack navy ship

Eleven suspected pirates apparently mistook a French naval ship for a commercial vessel and, according to the French Defence Ministry, prepared for attack. more »

China quarantines to contain flu

Authorities delivered supplies to people at Metropark hotel, where travellers have been quarantined for a week after a Mexican guest tested positive for the H1N1 flu. more »

Philippines floods kill ten

The cyclon has battered several provinces in the Bicol region, forcing thousands to flee their homes. more »

Italian PM to divorce - reports

Reports that Silvio Berlusconi's wife Veronica wants a divorce surfaced in the country's Sunday newspapers. more »

Swine flu kiss risk

Citizens of Lebanese Republic here are being advised to stop the customary greeting of friends and family with social kisses to avoid the threat of swine flu. more »

Key US senator switches parties

Moving Democrats closer to a 60-vote Senate majority that would allow them to break Republican procedural roadblocks, Pennsylvania Republican Senator Arlen Specter said he has switched parties and will begin working with Democrats immediately. more »

Round-up of April plenary session 21-24 April

The penultimate Parliamentary session of the 2004-2009 term took place in Strasbourg from 21-24 April. more »

Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs welcomes the agreement of the three Baltic States on the route of the electricity interconnection project between them and Sweden

Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, welcomed the agreement signed today between the Prime Ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to start without delay, the implementation of a Baltic-Swedish electricity link. more »

Western Balkans: reaffirmed European perspective to stabilise the region

The prospect of future EU membership for countries of the Western Balkans is the primary guarantor of stability and a driver of reforms, say MEPs in a report drafted by Anna Ibrisagic (EPP-ED, SE) and adopted on Friday in Strasbourg with 305 votes in favour, 23 against and 12 abstentions. more »

Paraguay's presidential scandal

The third woman in 2 weeks has claimed that Paraguay's bishop-turned-president Fernando Lugo fathered her child. more »