“I note that today Robert Mugabe has forced the implementation of a second round of elections in defiance of both the international community and democratic decency,” Bildt said in a statement
He added that the second-round elections were failed to adhere to the standards of “free and fair elections”.
Bildt went on to express his sympathy for the people of Zimbabwe, who he feels have suffered unnecessarily because of Mugabe’s actions.
“The Zimbabwean regime has now deliberately driven the country and its people into a state-supported culture of violence, characterized by massive violations of human rights,” he said.
According to Bildt, Zimbabwe’s neighbours in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) must take” responsibility for re-establishing democracy, human rights and the principles of the rule of law.”
He also urged the African Union to take a public stand against Mugabe and clarify that they no longer consider him to be the president of Zimbabwe.