Senior Maldivian official accuses EU of working with country's opposition

While the European Union is expected to adopt sanctions against senior Maldivian officials on Monday, Fisheries Minister Dr. Mohamed Shainee- who was part of a delegation sent to Brussels, Belgium recently to hold talks with EU officials- has accused them of working with the country’s opposition.

Speaking to local news outlet ‘Mihaaru’, the minister accused EU officials of lobbying against the Government of Maldives.

Noting that EU had informed them of plans to take restrictive measures against government officials two weeks ago, Shainee said that senior government officials headed to Brussels to discuss and resolve matters with senior EU officials immediately after being informed of plans to take restrictive measures against government officials. The government delegation included Shainee, Legal Affairs Minister at the President’s Office Aishath Azima and Foreign Minister Dr. Mohamed Asim.

Furthermore, Minister Shainee accused the opposition of ‘lying’ to the European Union, saying that President Abdulla Yameen is working to halt elections by appointing his allies to the Elections Commission. He also told ‘Mihaaru’ that the opposition had told EU officials that the President will imprison anyone that shows interest in running in the 2018 Presidential Elections.

Rejecting them as ‘baseless’, the minister emphasized that anyone who fits the criteria as per the Constitution and laws will be given the opportunity to contest.

Shainee was quick to point out that the government has even welcomed the opposition’s presidential candidate and running mate, adding that this should make it clear that the government will welcome anyone that is eligible to run in the long-awaited elections.

Noting that the opposition’s lies have led to EU’s decision to adopt sanctions against the Maldives, he said that the fact that it has been placed on Monday’s agenda makes it implausible to change their decision. However, he emphasized that the government has made strides in their work to change the outcome.

Noting that the government officials, including ministers and ambassadors, have been working tirelessly, Shainee added that they have been meeting with EU officials for the past five days and that there ‘have been great improvement’.

Minister Shainee assured of the government’s commitment to not allow this to affect the Maldivian people or local businesses.

Furthermore, he said that President Yameen is not ready to pay heed to any foreign decisions that could affect the country’s freedom.

EU’s Foreign Affairs Council is expected “to impose sanctions on persons and entities that violate human rights, undermine rule of law and obstruct the finding of a political solution in the country” on Monday.

While the Maldives is preparing for September’s election, the European Union has expressed concern that it will neither be free nor fair.

A report issued by EU following Ambassador Eduard Kukan’s last trip to Maldives in April, noted that the conditions in the country have to change “so that the next elections are held in line with international obligations”. The report noted that Ambassador Kukan and his team had met representatives of the authorities, political parties, media, civil society and the international community, but highlighted that they were not granted meetings with some key players in the Maldivian political arena, such as the President and Supreme Court officials.

The report reads, “to date, the political and institutional environment of the Republic of Maldives has not been conducive for the adoption of meaningful and concerted electoral reforms”.

While it has called on the government to take certain steps to resolve the political situation in the country, following the recent meeting with the Maldivian delegation the European Union reminded them of plans to take "targeted" measures if the situation “does not improve".