The CNE stressed that no major changes are expected to the provisional results, but makes clear that the tables are not yet closed and that the claimed votes are being analyzed.

Angola's National Elections Commission (CNE) said Saturday that the institution has not received a formal complaint from UNITA or any other party, after Angola's largest opposition party refused to recognize the provisional results.

Speaking to journalists quoted by Notícias ao Minuto, CNE spokesperson Lucas Quilundo did not refer to UNITA by party name and said that "the CNE's work is not only about complaining about this political formation, it has to do with a legal duty of its own.

Regarding UNITA's proposal to create an international commission to compare the electoral minutes held by the party with those of the CNE, the spokesman made it clear that "the CNE is a public body, an organ of the state, and as an organ of the state it cannot act outside existing institutions.

The party led by Adalberto Costa Júnior believes it won the elections last Wednesday ahead of the party in government for over 40 years, the MPLA. Costa Júnior said on Friday that "there is not the slightest doubt that the MPLA did not win the elections of the 24″, and that UNITA does not recognize the provisional results of the CNE", which give the victory to the MPLA by 51% of the votes.

For Lucas Quilundo and the CNE the provisional results reveal a reliable picture of the final result, because "the communication based on the 97% votes was the last communication made, and from then on it is no longer expected that there would be major changes to the results released in the meantime".

But changes are not excluded. The elections, besides deciding the presidency, are also for the Angolan parliament, and the CNE said that it is essential to look into the complaints of votes, pointing out that "it is always possible that, depending on the magnitude of the votes claimed, there may be changes in the table" of deputies.

"The constituency is not closed because it is only closed with the definitive results. We will have final results when the CNE plenary is in possession of all the reports regarding the votes claimed at the polling stations," he explained.

Regarding the CNE commissioners' criticism of the institution's actions during the elections and the minutes of the plenary meeting that approved the provisional results, the spokesman stressed that the provisional results were "approved unanimously and no one was coerced to do so.

"There are no political commissioners at the CNE, and they all have free and equal access, which allows them access to all areas of the CNE," he said.

Lucas Quilundo also mentioned that, according to the law, the commission has 15 days after the date of the elections to release the final results, and he is confident that this will be achieved within the deadline.