The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) has recently received media enquiry that as the family members of a candidate of the Chief Executive Election have right of abode in the European Union member states, the candidate is entitled right of abode in the European Union member states as well, rendering the candidate not eligible for nomination as a candidate in the Chief Executive Election. A REO spokesman responded as follows today (March 21):
 
     After seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice on the above enquiry, the Returning Officer of the Chief Executive Election stated that the claims that the candidate (1) has right of abode in a foreign country; (2) has falsely represented that the candidate has no right of abode in any foreign country; (3) should be disqualified from standing in the Chief Executive Election are not substantiated.
 
     In other words, the decision made by the Returning Officer, gazetted on March 7, that three candidates are validly nominated in the Chief Executive Election remains unchanged.

Ends/Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:43

NNNN