The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Mozambique, Antonino Maggiore, has assured that the organization will send more than 130 observers to the country for the VII presidential, legislative and IV provincial assembly elections, scheduled for October 9..

According to Antonino Maggiore, who was speaking yesterday, Thursday (22) in the municipal district of KaTembe, Maputo city, at an event of the European Union Training Mission at the Marine School, the observers will work in the pre-election period, during and after election day.

"The role of this mission is to monitor the situation to find out how the elections are going to take place in order to provide an assessment that will be presented to the government but also to the public," Maggiore said, stressing that Mozambique is a strategic partner of the European Union.

Quoted by AIM, the diplomat also stressed that the mission of European observers will arrive in Mozambique in the context of supporting the strengthening of democracy.

There are four candidates running in the presidential elections: Daniel Chapo, supported by Frelimo, the ruling party; Ossufo Momade, for Renamo, the largest opposition party; Lutero Simango, supported by the Democratic Movement of Mozambique (MDM), the second largest opposition party; and Venâncio Mondlane, for the Optimistic People for the Development of Mozambique (PODEMOS), an extra-parliamentary party.

A total of 37 political groupings are also running in the legislative elections and for the nine provincial assemblies.