Preparations for the May 26 European Parliament elections are entering their final stage with the election service and political parties holding consultations to ensure a problem-free day.
 
The chief returning officer and his associates yesterday held a meeting with political party representatives at the Interior Ministry on the elections.
All indications are that there will be candidacies from 12 or 13 tickets as well as independent candidates,
 
So far Disy, Akel, Diko, Edek, Greens-Citizens’ Alliance, Elam, Dipa, Animal Party Cyprus and the Yasemi Movement have said they will contest the elections, while others have also indicated they too will run.
 
The election service there are some 550,000 registered Greek Cypriot voters – which includes 691 Turkish Cypriots who live in the government controlled area. Voters who have informed authorities that they will vote in another EU Member state will be removed from the electoral roll. In addition, 80,800 Turkish Cypriots who live in the Turkish occupied north and have Republic of Cyprus documents are eligible to vote on May 26.
 
There will be an estimated 1,050 polling stations and an additional 50 close to checkpoints to facilitate Turkish Cypriot voters. There will be 21 polling stations abroad in Greece, the UK and Belgium.
 
The election service expects to use 4500 employees to staff the polling stations and handle the counting and has invited unemployed degree holders to express an interest to be hired to carry out these duties. The aim is for at least one unemployed person per polling station but interest was very low with only 310 unemployed expressing an interest by the deadline. That is why the election service has decided to extend this deadline. Each jobless person will be paid some €180. Presiding officers at the polling stations will be paid €350. The total budget for the elections is €3.375.000.
 
Meanwhile, election booklets for new registered voters are ready and the election office is urging them to pick them up from the community leader of their community or parish. They will be there until May 23 after which they will be returned to the district officers from where voters can pick them up, even on the day of the elections.
 
Edited by Bouli Hadjioannou