DILI, 01 september 2021 (TATOLI) – The Overseas Voter’s Registration team of Timor-Leste will be departed on the second week of September to carried out voters registration for Timorese citizens residing abroad, the President of the National Commission for Elections (CNE), José Agostinho Belo said.
Belo informed that all eligible Timorese citizens who are not registered overseas voters may file their applications for registration at the nearest Embassy/Consulate or other registration centers authorized by the team of the National Commission for Elections (CNE) of Timor-Leste.
“The voter registration for Timorese citizens living abroad may take up to two months due to the Covid-19,” said Belo.
He said the Joint Overseas Voter’s Registration team was made up of four groups, including a group from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEK), a group from the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE), a team from the National Directorate for Registration and Notary (NDRN) of the Ministry of Justice (MJ), and the team of CNE.
“Two commissaries and six staff members of CNE had been appointed to join the Overseas Voter’s Registration team to carry out registration for voters in South Korea, Australia, Portugal, Ireland, UK, and so on,” said Belo.
Previously, the Director-General of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) had said that due to lack of commercial flights, therefore, the team was yet to be departed.
On july 4, 2021, the council of ministers approved a draft decree-law on the voter registration for Timorese people who are currently residing de facto abroad.
“This decree-law will give opportunity for the Timorese people, who are living abroad to vote in the next presidential election,” the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães, told reporters.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
