Spokesperson: Reform agenda issue not presented to President

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali has said that the issue of a reform agenda has neither been discussed with President Abdulla Yameen nor submitted to the President’s Office in any official manner.

This follows opposition MP Eva Abdulla’s remark that former President Mohamed Nasheed, who is serving a 13-year prison sentence, was prepared engage in discussions with President Yameen to work towards the country’s development, by putting together a reform agenda.

Muaz said that the issue of a reform agenda was only being discussed in the media.

MP Eva said that Nasheed did not wish the European Parliament’s resolution against Maldives, passed last week, to have any negative impact on the country, and to ensure this, Nasheed saw it of utmost importance that President Yameen drew up a reform agenda.

European Parliament announced on 17 December 2015 that it had passed a resolution calling to release former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, former defence ministers Tholhath Ibrahim and Mohamed Nazim, Sheikh Imran Abdulla, and other political prisoners.

EU Parliament Members also called on the EU Commission and member states "to issue comprehensive warnings about the Maldives’ human rights record to tourists planning to go to the country" and asked the European External Action Service to monitor closely the human rights and political situation in the Maldives.