Phnom Penh (FN), March 4 - Lim Chea Vutha, CEO of Fresh News, on Sunday conducted an exclusive interview with National Election Committee (NEC)’s spokesman Dim Sovannarom to explain the roles NEC in becoming a member of the Association of World Election Body (A-WEB), headquartered in South Korea, with 109 member countries and with the support of the three powerful countries.
Fresh News CEO: Is this the first time that the NEC has participated in Cambodia-EU Joint Committee Meeting in Bruxelles?
NEC Spokesman: Right. The meeting was held every two years in a rotation-based chairmanship. Cambodia chaired the meeting in 2016, EU in 2018, and Cambodia will chair again in 2020.
Fresh News CEO: What will you present to them about NEC?
NEC Spokesman: I will present in three topics, NEC’s history, experience, and legal procedures. NEC, a non political institution, has been running for over 20 years. NEC has exercised its authority independently, neutrally, fairly, rightly, and just in accordance to multiparty democracy.
Fresh News CEO: The European Council issued a statement regarding the latest political situation in Cambodia, is the forthcoming meeting a golden opportunity to explain more facts about Cambodia?
NEC Spokesman: Thank you for this great question! NEC must stand as stated in the Constitution, and will not do anything contrary. NEC expereinced success in preparing the communal elections without any protests and was praised by the European Union and several embassies.
Fresh News CEO: Could you explain about the EU suspension of assistance to the NEC?
NEC Spokesman: The suspension of this aid is a political strategy, not the fact that the NEC does not carry out its duties.
Fresh News CEO: Japan has announced that it has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on February 21 pledging to provide $7.5 million for the July 29, 2018 election. China has also announced to help? What do you think?
NEC Spokesman: Japan will provide more than 10,000 ballot boxes and other items for future elections. Japanese Embassy with the Embassy of Malaysia on February 25, 2018 came to observe the Senate election, and this is the first time in the history of the Senate election with international observers. China will also provide materials and will arrive before the parliamentary elections.
Fresh News CEO: Will the Russian Federation assist NEC?
NEC Spokesman: After the meeting at Bruxelles, I will go to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian Federation Central Electoral Committee, and observe the presidential election on March 18, 2018 and sign the protocol on cooperation between the NEC and the Central Committee of the Russian Federation. Moreover, NEC has recently decided to become a member of the Association of World Election Body (A-WEB), headquartered in South Korea, with 109 member countries.
FN CEO: Thank you, H.E, for an exclusive interview with Fresh News before your mission on behalf of the NEC to the meetings in EU and Russia. Despite the suspension of assistance from EU and the fact that the United States will not recognize the upcoming election, NEC will still become a stronger institution for the future and the next generation, thanks to the Russian, Chinese, and Japanese supports and regional and global networks.
=FRESH NEWS
Photos of elephant transporting the ballot box, motorbike transporting the box through water flow, and citizens queuing to vote clearly indicated the neutrality.
