Guinea-Bissau election delayed
2009-04-01 20:08
Bissau - The government of Guinea-Bissau announced on Wednesday that presidential elections following the March 2 assassination of president Joao Bernardo Vieira have been pushed back to June 28.
Under the constitution the presidential election had to be held within 60 days of the president's death, which would put the vote at early May, although no official date was initially set for the elections.
"After consultation with all the political actors Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Junior announced 28 June as the date for the presidential elections," a statement read on Guinea-Bissau radio said.
The vote comes 120 days after the death of the president rather that the 60 days set in the constitution, the statement added.
"The date will have to be approved by the interim president Raimundo Pereira, by decree within the next 48 hours," it added.