Angola is facing a very important and historic moment to consolidate democracy in the country, official news agency ANGOP quoted Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos as reporting on Friday.
Dos Santos made the remarks in an exclusive interview with ANGOP after voting for the ongoing parliamentary elections which started nationwide at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT).
He said the most important thing for Angola now is to end up this great challenge (parliamentary elections) as a winner for the consolidation of democracy in the country.
"We have started now a new political cycle and I think we have also started a new manner of doing politics and achieved certain goals in which there is a competition based on respect and liberty," he said.
With the participation of all Angolans, the president said Angola will continue to improve.
Referring to the ongoing electoral process, dos Santos said things are going well so far as there is tolerance, respect for opinions and fraternal environment, despite the exchange of different ideas among the people.
He said Angolans have had exemplary behavior in a general way, adding that if things continue in this way "I think we will give a great example to the world."
Angola's parliamentary election began at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday, in which 10 political parties and four coalitions are contesting for 220 parliamentary seats.
More than 8 million voters have been registered for the parliamentary elections, the first ones since the 27-year civil war ended in the country in 2002. According to the National Electoral Commission, they would cast their votes at 12,274 polling stations across the southwestern African country.
At the mass rally in Kicolo, Luanda, on Wednesday, dos Santos, also president of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, said his party "will work toward the improvement of human development by creating more jobs and launching more activities in the domains of agriculture, heath, sports and housing, among others."
Dos Santos guaranteed that his party will continue promoting actions dignifying and benefiting ex-combatants, veterans of the motherland and their families, including those of opposition parties.
In addition, the Angolan government has dispatched 70,000 police officers to various parts of the country to guarantee security during the elections.
The government also reinforced the traffic and public order police units and established an emergency force to intervene in any disorder during the polls.
Source:Xinhua
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