Foreign Ministry Declares EU Statement “Ill-Informed And Ill-Judged”

Foreign Ministry Declares EU Statement “Ill-Informed And Ill-Judged”

By Emily Reed in Malé, Minivan News

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a furious response to a statement by the European Union (EU) this weekend, which expressed "great concern" over delays to democratic reforms due under the country's new constitution.

The ministry described the EU's move as "an ill-informed and ill-judged public intervention."

The EU statement, issued on 25 July, had expressed concern over "the continued delay in establishing the operational and independent institutions required to ensure that free and fair elections are held in the Maldives in October this year."

But the ministry says it is "disappointed" by the statement, adding government is taking "vital preliminary steps" prior to ratification of the country's new constitution.

Response

The EU press release cited the Maldivian government's repeated assurance that "[presidential] elections would be held on time and under the new constitution."

It notes the establishment of interim institutions, including an independent elections commission, can only be accomplished once the new constitution is ratified.

The foreign ministry issued a public response Monday, saying: "The government fully understands the urgent need to ratify the new constitution" but "urgency must be balanced against the need for legal exactitude and the protection of the public interest."

"Vacuum"

A "legal and institutional vacuum" could be created if the legal transition is not properly managed, the ministry contends.

Government has argued it needs to introduce "enabling legislation" to allow regulations currently in place to remain for a transition period.

This bill is due for a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, whilst the Police Bill – which government had also said was essential prior to the constitution – was passed last week.

Head of the constitutional drafting committee Ibrahim Ismail (Ibra) told Minivan News provision for such bridging measures had been included in a previous draft of the transitional chapter of the constitution, rejected by the government's Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP) in March as favouring opposition preferences.

Steps Taken

In the new statement, government also argues work is already under way to "ensure that the forthcoming elections conform to international standards of freeness and fairness".

It cites an equal access to media agreement signed by the state broadcasters and political parties, plus voter education campaigns.

But it does not address the issue of independent institutions, highlighted by the EU in their statement.

The EU had drawn particular attention to the establishment of an independent elections commission, with the current one still headed by a presidential appointee.

Origin

Following the foreign ministry's statement, the EU was forced to issue a clarification noting its statement had been "an EU statement and not a statement of the Delegation of the European Commission to Sri Lanka and the Maldives".

In an apparent attempt to reduce the statement's impact, the foreign ministry had said it came from "the EC Delegation Office in Colombo and not the EU headquarters in Brussels".

Roshan Lyman, head of politics and trade at the EC delegation to Colombo, told Minivan News blamed a "misunderstanding" for the issue.

Meeting

On 24 July, Dr Mohamed Asim, the Maldives Ambassador to the EU, met with EU officials in Brussels.

During the meeting Dr Asim provided the EU with information on President Gayoom's "preparations for ratification," and details on the equal media coverage agreement and Maldives' voter education programmes.

The Maldives foreign ministry said none of the concerns raised in the EU's press statement had been raised at the meeting.

"The Government therefore regrets the decision of the EC Delegation in Colombo to issue the above-mentioned…statement, but reaffirms our commitment to furthering our common relationship premised on open-dialogue, shared understanding, and mutual respect," the foreign ministry's response concludes.