Zimbabwe has refused to give Swedish diplomat Mr Pierre Schori clearance to lead EU observers at the March presidential election, describing him as "a mere tourist".
However, Mr Schori's spokesman Mr Stefan Amer said there were indications he would be cleared. "They are working on it. We expect there will be a solution within a few days," Mr Amer said.
The Mugabe government has said it would exclude observers from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain, the former colonial power, accusing them of bias in favour of the opposition.
Another 30 EU observers were expected in Zimbabwe today.
Mr Schori headed the EU observer delegation to parliamentary elections last June that the opposition narrowly lost. The delegation later declared the elections were not free and fair because of violence and intimidation, mainly against opposition supporters.
The EU is to deploy 150 observers for the presidential vote.
The EU has warned of sanctions against Zimbabwe unless the presidential elections are free and fair, and observers and international journalists are allowed to work unhindered.
Yesterday two firebombs were hurled at the western provincial offices of Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper, which the government has accused of supporting the opposition.
A petrol bomb was also thrown at a nearby print shop in Bulawayo that has printed some opposition election campaign material. Neither premises was seriously damaged.
The attacks come amid heightened political violence in Zimbabwe ahead of presidential elections on March 9 and 10. President Robert Mugabe, 77, and his increasingly unpopular ruling party are fighting for political survival after nearly 22 years in power.
