Presidential elections delayed until 19 June

Presidential elections meant to complete Guinea-Bissau's return to democracy following a bloodless coup in 2003 will take place on 19 June, a month later than originally planned, according to a decree issued at the weekend. After the toppling of former president Kumba Yala in September 2003, Guinea-Bissau's military groups and political parties had agreed to a transition phase which was to end with a new presidential ballot in May. But under a decree published on Sunday, the period of interim rule has been extended by a month. "The presidential polls are fixed for 19 June, 2005," said the decree, signed by interim president Henrique Rosa. Voters must now wait until June to choose a successor to Rosa, the businessman chosen as transitional head of state by the armed forces and Guinea-Bissau's main political parties following Yala's overthrow 18 months ago. Yala was elected on a ticket of national reconciliation in 2000 after a brief but devastating civil war in this former Portuguese colony. But his rule became increasingly erratic and by the time of the coup, he had alienated most of his former supporters, and most of the 1.3 million people greeted his departure with quiet relief. Parliamentary elections, the first step back along the path to democracy, were held in March last year, which led to national assembly members taking their seats on 7 May. Presidential polls were set to follow within 12 months. "Technical reasons make it impossible to hold elections... within a year of the parliament coming to power," the decree said. It did not give any more details, but officials noted that the process of drawing up electoral lists, which should have begun on 11 February, only got underway on 19 March. And the decree made reference to the fact that all the political parties wanted "a new electoral list so that elections would be peaceful, credible, transparent, free and fair." Although the military, civilian groups and most political parties agreed to extend the transition period, the main opposition Social Renovation Party (PRS) refused to sign up to the deal. Three other smaller opposition parties, who do not have any representation in parliament, also opposed the lengthening of the transition period. Last month the European Union granted cash-strapped Guinea-Bissau 9.5 million euros (US$12.3 million) of special aid to help it keep essential services going during the election run-up. Antonio Moreira Martins, the EU representative in Bissau, said this cash may be used to pay civil service salaries and finance preparations for the presidential election. Cash crunches in this impoverished West African country, where the World Bank estimates the average person ekes out a living on $140 a year, can prove dangerous. General Verissimo Correia Seabra, the former chief of staff of the armed forces, was killed during a military uprising in October 2004. The mutiny was sparked by the government's failure to pay salary arrears to soldiers who had served with the UN peacekeeping force in Liberia.