By Yun Samean
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Thursday announced that the government would pay half of the estimated $13 million cost of next year's commune elections and issued a call for donors to pay the other half.
"The Royal Government is able and committed to paying half of the cost," Sar Kheng said during a conference on commune election funding in Phnom Penh. Sar Kheng also praised the achievements of commune councils since they were first elected in 2002, which he said cost $15 million to organize. National Election Committee Chairman Im Suosdey said the NEC has slated the elections for Sunday, April 1, 2007.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections, said that in the four years since the last elections, commune councilors have not been adequately empowered.
'The commune councilors don't have the power yet," he said.
Hang Puthea also said that a recent amendment to the county's election law, which changed the composition of the NEC, could discredit all future election results.
Prime Minister Him Sen's ruling CPP have five seats on the NEC, while Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party each have two.
"Based on the composition of the NEC, the elections will not be regarded as free and fair," he said.
Representatives from the Canadian, US, Japanese and Australian embassies also attended the conference but did not announce funding pledges.
"The Royal Government is able and committed to paying half of the cost," Sar Kheng said during a conference on commune election funding in Phnom Penh. Sar Kheng also praised the achievements of commune councils since they were first elected in 2002, which he said cost $15 million to organize. National Election Committee Chairman Im Suosdey said the NEC has slated the elections for Sunday, April 1, 2007.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections, said that in the four years since the last elections, commune councilors have not been adequately empowered.
'The commune councilors don't have the power yet," he said.
Hang Puthea also said that a recent amendment to the county's election law, which changed the composition of the NEC, could discredit all future election results.
Prime Minister Him Sen's ruling CPP have five seats on the NEC, while Funcinpec and the Sam Rainsy Party each have two.
"Based on the composition of the NEC, the elections will not be regarded as free and fair," he said.
Representatives from the Canadian, US, Japanese and Australian embassies also attended the conference but did not announce funding pledges.
1 comment:
Where did they come up with these figures? That it's gonna cost in the millions for the election.
The results are always the same.
Are the cost going toward the process,logistic or campaign cost for the CPP?
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