NNA - The Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), Mr. György Hölvényi, will start his first visit to Lebanon on Wednesday.
Tomorrow, Thursday 7 April, Mr. Hölvényi is scheduled to meet with President of the Republic Michel Aoun at Baabda Presidential Palace, Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail, and Minister of Interior and Municipalities Bassam Al Mawlawi at the latter’s ministerial office in Hamra.
During the following days, Mr. Hölvényi will also meet with representatives of political parties, electoral bodies, religious leaders, local authorities, and the civil society in Beirut and outside the Lebanese capital.
At the end of his visit, on Monday 11 April, Mr. Hölvényi will hold a press conference to officially launch the EU EOM at the Movenpick Hotel at 11:00 am.
The EU EOM is independent of the European Commission, the EU Member States and the EU Delegation. It also acts in full independence from the Lebanese authorities, politicians and institutions.
The core team of the mission arrived in Beirut on 27 March and is composed of 10 election experts covering the different aspects of the electoral process.
In Mid-April, 30 long-term observers will be deployed in teams of two to cover all the regions of the country. On Election Day, the mission will comprise around 150 observers from all 27 EU member states, Norway and Switzerland. The EU Election Observation Mission will remain in the country until the conclusion of the electoral process.
In line with the EU methodology on election observation, the Mission does not pronounce on the verdict of the polls but assesses the electoral process as a whole.
Following the elections, the EU EOM will issue two reports. In the first, normally two days after Election Day, the mission will present a preliminary statement during a press conference in Beirut.
Approximately two months after the elections, a representation of the mission will return to Lebanon to release the final report with the government, electoral bodies, political parties and civil society. The report will include a final assessment of the electoral process and a set of recommendations for possible reforms to improve future electoral processes.
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