PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Haiti (CEH) has expressed concern at the possible constitutional crisis in Haiti as President Michel Martelly’s term of office comes to an end on February 7.

The second round of voting on January 24 to elect a successor to Martelly was cancelled indefinitely following street protests by opposition supporters who have been calling for the establishment of an interim government to lead the French-speaking Caribbean Community country into the elections.

The situation has been further hampered by the resignation of Pierre-Louis Opont, president of the Provisional Electoral Council. The Organisation of American States has sent a mission at the request of Martelly to Port-au-Prince in a bid to broker a deal involving all the stakeholders.

The CEH, meeting in an extraordinary plenary session ahead of the constitutional deadline said it “is very concerned, whereas until now, no agreement was officially adopted in order to solve with a consensual manner, the current crisis”.

It said that it wanted also to salute “the courage of the Haitian people in these days so difficult socially, politically and economically” and is asking “informally, to facilitate exchanges and build bridges for dialogue between some actors involved in the current crisis.

“We all know February 7, 2016 ends the constitutional mandate of president of the republic. It is high time that the people know how we will run the country after that date,” the CEH said, noting that “no agreement has so far been adopted to consensually resolve the current crisis”.

The CEH said it believes that all political and state actors must work to find, before February 7, 2016, a negotiated and mutually acceptable solution to the crisis with wisdom, insight, moderation and patriotism.

The religious group said that it “strongly encourages all forces in the country to come together in order to reach an agreement based on the Constitution and Haitian wisdom to ensure the continuity of the State and political stability of country in the respect for life, property and fundamental rights of the human person.

“Accordingly, the CEH urges all actors and the Haitian people as a whole to avoid statements and actions that could inflame tensions, inciting violence and aggravate… the… already fragile of country. The CEH strongly encourages to find a consensus in the shortest time for the consolidation of national unity, promotion of democratic culture and the greater good of the nation,” the group added.