PARTY REGISTRATION STARTS

Partido do Povo de Timor (People’s Party of Timor) was the first party to submit a complete application with the Independent Electoral Commission as the registration of political parties and independent candidates for the Constituent Assembly election started today. The other two parties to submit their applications today, FRETILIN and the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), had left out some minor information which they will be presenting in the next days. According to the Chief Electoral Officer the fact that these three parties submitted their applications in accordance to Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) procedures in the first day of the registration period was “very encouraging” and “a sign that political parties are very serious about the electoral process.” Registration ends on 24 June. The IEC was also approached today by East Timorese on the procedures that independent candidates must follow to run in the elections both at national and district levels. The IEC will hold its sixth briefing for political parties on Wednesday, 9 May to discuss the advance of the Civil Registration Process and its relation to the compilation of the electoral roll. According to the electoral law, the Chief Electoral Officer is required to formally answer to applications within 14 days.

SRSG RECEIVES RUSSIA ACCREDITATIONS

The Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Vladimir Plotnikov, delivered his Government’s credentials to SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello today in Dili. Mr. Plotnikov will represent the Russian Federation from the Embassy in Jakarta. There are currently 14 diplomatic representative missions in East Timor. Two countries, including Russia, are being represented from Jakarta.