Delegation of European Parliament Members impressed by ‘calm and orderly’ Electoral Process
On the 22nd of March the Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo, met with the head of the delegation of European Parliament Members for the Electoral Observation Mission, MEP Ana Gomes, accompanied by MEPs Marisa Matias and Inese Vaidere and the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union in Timor-Leste, Alexandre Leitão.
The Prime Minister expressed the Government’s gratitude for the European Union's response to its request for electoral observation, as well as his satisfaction with the maturity of the institutions of the State, the leaders and the people of Timor-Leste throughout the recent Presidential electoral process. He said the Government's priority was to ensure that the State institutions worked in a professional manner, particularly regarding the issue of maintaining public order.
He also mentioned that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be more focused on programmes and actions, with reflections on the country and the people. He said that it will once again be up to he people to decide and the results must again be accepted by all.
The Prime Minister explained that, in the last ten years, the Government's policy has been a policy of front loading for essential economic infrastructure and the social sector in order to create conditions for sustainable economic growth, a policy which has begun to show results with movement towards economic diversification, although he noted, it is still necessary to attract more private investment. He took the opportunity to thank for all the support that the European Union has been providing through the cooperation programmes, particularly in the area of Agriculture.
In response, Ana Gomes expressed European Parliament’s full availability to support Timor-Leste in all aspects of democracy building. 
Regarding the electoral process, the Ms Gomes congratulated the Prime Minister, underlining the orderly and quiet manner with which all took place. She also mentioned the strong participation of the population in the voting centres, “revealing great maturity, especially considering that this is the first time that Timor-Leste has organized the whole electoral process by itself”. She mentioned that a report of the observation mission will be produced, which will also include some suggestions on the part of the observers.
Congratulations were also expressed by Members of the European Parliament Marisa Matias and Inese Vaidere, who wanted to know from the Head of Government what could be different in dynamics of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
