The European Union delegation that arrived in the Maldives on Sunday has met with the leaders of the opposition coalition.
The delegation, which includes three members from the European Parliament had met the opposition leaders at Hotel Jen in the capital Male on Sunday night.
Speaking to Mihaaru after the meeting, Jumhoory Party (JP)’s deputy leader MP Abdullah Riyaz revealed that they had discussed the current political situation and the policies of President Abdulla Yameen’s government, the challenges faced by the opposition, and the upcoming presidential election slated for 2018.
“We conferred to the delegation our grievances and concerns. It was just a discussion,” MP Riyaz said after the three-hour meeting.
MDP later revealed that the opposition parties had discussed the heavy sentences imposed on the opposition leaders by the government, and how all opposition leaders currently have sentences that bar them from competing in the upcoming election.
The party had also noted that 21 opposition parliamentarians have various “politically motivated” charges levied against them by the state.
Besides MP Riyaz, former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s daughter Yumna Maumoon, main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s MP Mariya Didi, MP Eva Abdullah and MP Rozaina Adam, and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party’s foreign relations commission’s chair Shidhatha Shareef had also joined the meeting.
The delegation will meet the state representatives on Monday.
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