Mozambique: Negotiations to allow observers at final vote count "positive"

The European Union (EU) on Tuesday said negotiations with Mozambique's electoral commission to open up the one remaining part of the counting process in upcoming general elections to observers were progressing well. While election monitors may be present at counting stations at the local level, they are excluded from the final provincial and national stages of the count. The final tabulation is seen as crucial, because it is at this stage that spoiled ballot papers are considered, and both provincial and national elections commissions make decisions about polling station results sheets.