Amman, April 25 (Petra) – The European Union and member states, along with other like-minded world nations, welcomed Palestinian local elections, which kicked off on Saturday despite the difficult circumstances.

EU member states, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, said the elections provide Palestinians with an opportunity to elect their local councils and renew their democratic legitimacy, according to a statement on the EU official website.

Other world countries, including Brazil, Canada and Japan, also welcomed holding the Palestinian polls.

Upon the invitation from the Central Elections Commission, a number of EU diplomatic missions and representatives will be present on the ground to monitor the electoral process, it said, emphasizing the importance of conducting transparent, credible, and inclusive elections.

"We welcome this round of elections as an important step towards expanding democracy and enhancing local governance, in general, and in line with the ongoing reform process," said the statement.

//Petra//SS