EU declaration unfortunate and unacceptable- Govt

The Government of the Maldives has stated that the government considers the ‘Declaration’ issued on the Maldives by the European Union’s High Representative, Catherine Ashton, on 14 March 2012, as unfortunate and unacceptable.

In a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry it was stated that the Government is committed to ensuring that the Presidential elections will be fair and inclusive of all qualified parties and individuals wishing to participate.

"It must be noted that the criminal charges filed against former President Mr. Mohamed Nasheed by the independent Prosecutor General concerns the arrest and detention of a sitting judge of a superior court in the Maldives in January 2013. President Nasheed disregarded over a dozen court orders from the Civil Court, Criminal Court, High Court and the Supreme Court to produce the Judge before the court. President Nasheed also dismissed calls by the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, Prosecutor General, and several international organisations, including the EU, to release the judge," the government said.

Moreover, Foreign Ministry noted that under the 2008 Constitution, the Executive branch of the Government cannot intervene in a case filed by the Prosecutor General (PG). "The PG in fact ordered the investigation of the case, in January 2012, while President Nasheed was still the President."

The government added that the Court’s decision earlier this month to postpone Nasheed’s trial clearly shows that the courts in the Maldives are in fact able to make credible decisions in a politically divisive environment and that they are neither unfairly biased against Nasheed nor conspiring against him.

"The decision also goes on to highlight that the case against the former President is not politically motivated and that in effect, Mr. Nasheed does accept that there is a genuine case against him. The Government has always maintained that it should be given the necessary space to manage and develop an authentic democratic culture in the Maldives without external interference," the statement said.

"It is therefore regrettable that a responsible international organisation, such as the EU, chose to state in public that the forthcoming presidential elections would not be credible unless a particular person is allowed to contest in the elections. It is important to note that elections in the Maldives are held in accordance with the Constitution and the relevant laws of the Maldives," the government said.

Furthermore, the statement highlighted that the Government in the Maldives is elected by the people and for the people of the Maldives.