Portuguese premier announces new loans / Court turns down seven parties' poll candidatures

Portugal's Prime Minister José Socrates has announced the granting of a three new credit-lines aiming at boosting the relations between the two countries. Speaking to press, after an audience with the Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, the Portuguese Premier explained that the first credit is estimated at 100 million Euros and the second and third worth 500 million each. At least 200 Portuguese citizens may come to Angola this year, under a fund passed by the Cabinet Council, meant to boost the co-operation between the two countries, in the domain of the Portuguese language teaching.

In the meantime, Angola's Constitutional Court (TC) has turned down the candidatures of four political parties and three coalitions for the legislative elections of September 05. This was after the files of candidatures were found to have failed to comply with the legal requirements that include the presentation of 15.000 voter's signatures. In a communiqué posted on the TC's website, the court says a plenary session went through the files submitted and decided to turn down the candidatures of the Angolan Communist Community Party (PCCA), Angola Peace Social (PSPA), the Angola National Unity (PUNA) and the National Alliance (AN).

The coalitions that had their participation in the September 05 elections were Angola Presidential Tendency Union (UTPA), People's Voice and Patriotic Front (FP), that submitted their candidatures from June 27 to July 7 this year, as part of the 34 files then received by Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court examined the candidatures in the light of the Electoral Law 6/05 of August 10 and the Political Parties Law 2/05 of July 1. (Angola Press Agency, Luanda)