Foreign media hails ‘flawless’ election process

The Majlis Ash’shura elections in Oman on Sunday received wide acclaim from foreign journalists.

Nearly 60 journalists, who flew into the Sultanate to cover the event, hailed the efforts of the government in conducting flawless, just and fair elections.

Journalists and photographers from countries like the UK, Europe, Russia, Spain, France, Lithuania, Denmark, Turkey, KSA, UAE, Syria, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Lebanon were covering the election live from Oman.

Boleta Senkiene, Honorary Consul of the Sultanate in Lithuania and a media representative of Oman, feels reporting the elections is a unique experience and a lot is there to learn and replicate.

“I’m here to explore and learn as much as I can from the electoral proceedings of the Sultanate and to share a message with our region including the neighbouring countries”, said Boleta.

“The very enthusiasm of the Omani people towards the elections itself shows how eagerly they are waiting for this day to exercise their voting rights to choose their candidates”, adds Senkiene who visited several polling stations in and around the capital area.

For Iman al Humoud, a Saudi journalist with Radio Monte Carlo in Paris, the flawless and smooth organising of the elections was a great attraction.

“I visited most of the polling stations in Muscat, spoke to the candidates and some of the voters and spent time with them and experienced their very charisma that probably has helped in the smooth conducting of the elections. There is an election culture in Muscat and people enjoy the same as their basic right to choose their representative”, Iman said congratulating the Ministries and people behind the elections.

Eric Kalash, Media Researcher, and a radio and TV presenter from France, said that the peaceful conducting of elections is a true signpost to the basic nature of the Omani population.

“A peaceful, smooth public election shows the basic nature of the people of the country and its something to be replicated”, Kalash said.

“Omani citizens are provided with the best education, health facilities and economic standards and that will reflect in the elections”, Kalash, who has covered electoral proceedings of more than 50 countries during his career, added.