Whereas the European Commission Country Strategy Paper has set the priorities for cooperation with the new Independent East Timor for the next few years it is essential that in the period immediately after independence the European Union appears committed to strengthening its democratic institutions. We recommend that projects for capacity building should be actively encouraged and supported.

The parties should start an internal democratisation process, by establishing clear inter- and intraparty rules; the current system of candidate nomination should also be amended.

Issuing a photo ID card to each elector would improve voter identification, enhance the accuracy of the whole process and diminish instances of fraudulent voting and misuse of the voter register.

Domestic observer groups should be encouraged to join forces rather than multiply. Such cooperation or re-groupings could enhance the quality of domestic observation.

The current electoral system increases the level of confrontation amongst political parties. The EU – EOMB, considers it advisable to study possible electoral reforms. Such reforms should aim at improving the practice of dialogue, increasing the representation of minority groups, reducing the use of force and of money, and favouring the presence of women in the Parliament.

Guidelines regarding the role of the media in the electoral campaign should be adopted; the Electoral Commission could form a specialised media committee responsible for: • monitoring access to the media for political parties during the election campaign;
• regulating political advertisement aired in electronic media;
• dealing with political parties’ complaints in case of violations of airtime allocated by the media, or any other violations regarding the presentations of political parties in the media.

To consider a new formula for the appointment of members of GECOM to ensure that party political considerations can not influence policy.

To consider inclusion in the election law the requirement for broadcasters to provide some free time during an election period and clearly defined mechanism for the
allocation of time to the various parties contesting.

Following such review for election laws to be consolidated in a single Act.

To abolish State radio’s monopoly by allowing access to market to private radio stations.

To agree enforceable rules for government ministers and officials which ensure that candidates gain no unfair advantage or may use government resources to aid their campaign.

To review the system of recruitment, training and appointment of temporary staff such that the system is simplified and appointment precedes training.

To review current voter information and education plans with a view to providing longer term education on elections and democracy for new voters.

To publish the results by polling station of both the National and Regional elections and provide such copies to stakeholders as reasonably required

Privately owned media to develop more rigorous and effective self regulatory code of conduct and commit themselves to abide by the decision of a new permanent press
complaint committee (similar to the panel of independent referees).

To publicly declare expenditure made during an election campaign and the sources of significant donations

Full and early implementation of Amendment 17 to the Constitution.

A Code of conduct for political campaigning should be established for all political parties, candidates and their supporters. Sanctions should be established for breach of it. Such a Code of Conduct could be included in the Electoral Act.

A more reliable indelible ink should be used so as to prevent multiple voting

Given the significant number of rejected ballot papers it would be appropriate to introduce a number of initiatives regarding voter education prior to polling day.

Complaints to the Police arising out of the election should automatically be referred to prosecution service after investigation. Complaints not so referred should be recorded giving the reason for non referral and these records should be available to the Election Commission. The possibility of producing a report on them so as to demonstrate impartial enforcement of the rule of law should be considered.

The feasibility of starting the count when the first box arrives rather than waiting for all boxes to come in should be examined

One of the more general problems of the electoral rules is that much of the electoral administration is based on separate resolutions issued over a long period that extends to the days immediately preceding the elections. It would be more transparent and efficient to have a coherent body of election rules that should not be changed during the campaign period.

The EU EOM find it unrealistic that the role of political parties could be totally eliminated in the Nicaraguan electoral authority in any near future. The party involvement could be modified in various ways, but it is probably neither feasible nor desirable to aim at its complete eradication. (...) We believe that a realistic reform would aim at clear and transparent rules for party involvement and at removing the harmful effects which a flawed kind of partisan control has had for professional standards.

(... ) a reform of the electoral authority should include a serious reconsideration of the number of people employed. The CSE, with its workforce of approximately 3,000, has
functioned too much as a job pool for political associates. Reducing the number of personnel should be accompanied by strengthening the professional level of the institution. In other words, the electoral authority could have fewer employees but provide them with adequate employment conditions including continuous training and a decent salary.