The European Union (EU) states that the fundamental freedoms and rights of the citizens of the country have largely been respected during the Presidential Election in Sri Lanka.

Issuing a statement on the Presidential Election 2019, the spokesperson for the EU stated that the overall peaceful environment during the election confirms the stability of the democratic institutions and attachment of the Sri Lankan people to their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The EU sent an Election Observation Mission to monitor the Presidential Election which was held on Saturday (Nov 16). This is the 6th Sri Lankan election observed by the EU.

Stating that the EU remains fully supportive of the broader reform agenda in Sri Lanka, the statement congratulated the newly elected President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on his victory.

The full statement of the EU:

“Presidential elections in Sri Lanka took place on Saturday 16 November. The election campaign and process have unfolded in an overall peaceful environment, despite reports of a few violent incidents. This confirms the stability of the democratic institutions and attachment of the Sri Lankan people to their fundamental rights and freedoms after the brutal Easter Sunday terrorist attacks. 

As a sign of trust, and reflecting our close cooperation on good governance and democracy, Sri Lanka welcomed the European Union’s Election Observation Mission. This is the 6th Sri Lankan election observed by the EU. Preliminary findings indicate that the fundamental freedoms and rights of the citizens of the country have largely been respected. The EU’s Election Observation Mission recognized that elections were administered efficiently by Sri Lanka’s Election Commission

The EU looks forward to continuing working with Sri Lanka on the wide range of issues covered by our partnership, from trade to cooperation in the area of foreign policy and security. We remain fully supportive of the broader reform agenda in Sri Lanka. We congratulate President Rajapaksa and look forward to working with him to uphold Sri Lanka’s commitments to implement international conventions on fundamental rights and to continue efforts aimed at improving governance, human rights, and reconciliation. It is crucial that Sri Lanka continues to move forward, bringing the whole country together.”