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EU following closely debate on 3rd term of Burundi president

Xinhua, April 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) delegation in Burundi said on Wednesday it was closely following debate on the possibility of President Pierre Nkurunziza contesting for a third term.

"It is an issue that we shall follow closely and which will determine our support for the electoral process," head of EU delegation in Burundi Patrick Spirlet said.

Spirlet said EU had expressed concern over intimidations against some individuals from the ruling party who had rejected the proposal for Nkurunziza to contest for a third term.

EU, he added, wants the Burundian government to take necessary measures to maintain peace during the electoral period.

During previous meetings between the Burundian government and EU, the latter insisted on the need to respect the Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi (AAPRB) in order to resolve the dispute over Nkurunziza's third term bid.

According to the AAPRB that was signed in 2000 in Tanzania," the Burundian president is elected for a period of five years, renewable once. No one can serve for more than two terms."

Nkurunziza was elected in 2005 and re-elected in 2010. His supporters have urged him to contest for a third term during the June 26 presidential elections. Endi