Addis Ababa, 7 September, 2015(WIC)– The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Front (EPRDF) says it has tailored clear directions to work with peaceful opposition parties with ultimate possible zeal.
Public and External Relations head of the Front’s Council office, Desta Tesfaw, in an exclusive interview with WIC, said the call made to the opposition parties to work together after the conclusion of the 10th congress of the front was not a mere lip service rather the front has shown its commitment to work with them through the Parties Joint Council Forum since after the 2010 election.
Desta said the call is made for all the peaceful opposition parties irrespective of their stand on the last election. The front is ready to work in collaboration with peaceful opposition parties who respect and adhere to the constitution in areas of mutual interest, he added.
According to Desta, the Front has planned to consult with the opposition parties on the second Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-2).
“We are already working with political parties who are members of the Joint Council of the Political Parties by consulting on issues that are important for the growth and development of the country,” Desta remarked. The Front wants this collaboration on mutual interests to be continued and it is ready to work with the other parties who are on the wrong path if they are willing to evaluate their stand and make the necessary change to adhere to the constitution, he underlined.
President of the Ethiopian Vision Party, Teshale Sebro, on his part said he is suspicious that the front’s call is to those parties who have accepted the result of the 2015 election. Such a call is always made after the end of elections and it is no more than a lip service, he added.
Secretary of the Ethiopian Justice and Democracy Forces Front, Girmay Hadera, says EPRDF has shown gaps in terms of accepting the complaints raised during the political parties joint forum discussions and also in working for their remedies.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn has officially called up on the peaceful opposition parties to work in collaboration with the front in areas of common interest in his closing speech of the 10th congress of EPRDF held in Mekelle.