Ambassador: Afghan poll likely to be undemocratic

THE EU ambassador to Afghanistan has admitted the upcoming parliamentary elections are likely to be undemocratic as a circle of bloody violence continues to cripple the country.

Having pumped $75 million (€61m) of EU taxpayers’ money, including Ireland’s, into elections in the war-torn nation, the EU has a number of concerns which were relayed yesterday to Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

EU ambassador Vygaudas Usackas said there was also fear among Afghan citizens that US and Nato troops could just “pack up and leave”. But Usackas said EU support was there for the long haul. “We wish to have them [the elections] fair and transparent, but it won’t be democratic. It won’t. I want to be honest with the taxpayers.