Myanmar President Thein Sien (first from right) at a meeting in Naypiydaw on October 31, 2014Observers from the EU will be allowed to access polls in military bases during Myanmar’s general election slated for November 8.
Speaking to the media on October 20, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, head of the 150-member delegation of EU observers, said the two sides reached the agreement after a constructive meeting between EU representatives and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces.
Lambsdorff said the decision would increase transparency and give a more precise assessment of the election.
Myanmar will elect members of the Assembly of the Union that will in turn establish a new government with a five-year period, starting in 2016.
According to the preliminary list released by the the Union Election Committee (UEC), 5,866 out of 6,189 candidates were nominated by 92 parties and the remainder are running independently.
The UEC determined 1,171 constituencies throughout the country, including 330 for the election of the House of Representatives, 168 for the House of Nationalities, 644 for the state and regional assemblies, and 29 for the state and regional assemblies of ethnic minorities.
According to the UEC, there are 32 million eligible voters.
After electing members of the two Houses, the Assembly of the Union will elect the president.-VNA
