CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN
Dear representatives of the media!
Dear international observers!
Dear friends!
First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your active participation in reporting the elections of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of velayat, etrap, city halk maslahats and gengeshes.
Yesterday, on March 26, were held the elections of deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of velayat, etrap, city halk maslahats and gengeshes.
The elections were organized, and held with a high voter turnout.
2644 polling stations were established for voting in the elections, including 42 near the diplomatic missions and consulate offices of Turkmenistan abroad.
According to the Election code of Turkmenistan, the right to nominate candidates belongs to political parties, as well as groups of citizens.
The Democratic party of Turkmenistan, the party of Industrialists and entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, the Agrarian party of Turkmenistan, as well as groups of citizens took part in the nominating works of candidates for the elections of deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of velayat, etrap and city halk maslahats, as well as members of gengeshes.
The nomination of candidates began on January 25 this year, and ended on February 24.
The registration of candidates held from 4 to 28 of February.
258 candidates for deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 515 for membership of velayat and Ashgabat city halk maslahats, 2001 for membership of etrap and city halk maslahats, 12098 for membership of gengeshes, 14872 candidates for all elections were registered within the specified time limits.
These numbers show that two and three candidates competed for one place in the March 26 elections. More specifically, 258 candidates in 125 districts in the elections of deputies of Mejlis, 515 candidates in 240 districts in the elections of members of velayat halk maslahats, 2001 candidates in 960 districts in the elections of members of etrap, city halk maslahats, 12098 candidates in 5897 districts in the elections of members of gengesh competed for the majority of voters' votes in accordance with democratic principles.
A total of 175 candidates were nominated and registered by political parties and 83 by citizens' groups for the elections of deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan. More specifically:
97 by the Democratic party of Turkmenistan;
27 by the party of Industrialists and entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan;
51 by the Agrarian party of Turkmenistan;
83 people were nominated by citizens groups as a candidate for the deputy of Mejlis of Turkmenistan.
At the same time, we would like to take this opportunity to note that these elections are distinguished by the fact that many candidates were nominated in the history of Independent Turkmenistan, and that four elections were held in one day.
During the elections, video cameras were installed in 240 polling stations in Ashgabat and our velayats, and the votes of the voters were shown online to the public on the website of the Central election commission’s web-site called saylav.gov.tm .
Voters' votes in the polling stations were displayed online on March 26, 2023, from 7:00 a.m to 19:00/7:00 p.m.
The pre-election preaching works of registered candidates started from the time of their registration and ended a day before the elections day.
All candidates were given the opportunity to carry out campaign activities free of charge under the equal conditions. The contestants spoke on televisions in their respective programs. They met with the voters of their respective constituencies, held meetings, spoke about their programs, and answered voters' questions.
Different types of videos explaining the voting procedure were shown on TV channels.
In order to achieve transparent, open and democratic elections, the website of the Central election commission of Turkmenistan (saylav.gov.tm) is active, and news and information about the elections were regularly published there.
On the website of the State news agency of Turkmenistan, news related to election season were posted in 3 languages, Turkmen, English and Russian.
In order to ensure that the voters cast their votes under equal conditions, all of polling stations were provided with booths and ballot boxes prepared in the same model.
Precinct election commissions sent separate invitations to each voter, and voters were informed in advance about the time and place of voting.
Voters unable to be in their homes on elections day were able to cast early ballots from March 16 to 25, and 5,10 percent of voters across the country were cast ballots in advance.
Voters who could not come to the polling station on elections day due to health condition or other reasons were provided with opportunities to vote at their home.
The elections were held under multiparty conditions and on the basis of universal, equal, direct, secret, free suffrage and competition.
All expenses related to the preparation and holding of the elections were financed from the State budget of Turkmenistan.
2855 national observers appointed by political parties, public associations, citizens groups and candidates of Turkmenistan observed the elections.
International observers from the United Nations Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Turkish States, experts from the bureau of Human rights and democratic institutions of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observed the democratic elections. Also, international observers appointed by diplomatic missions of international organizations in Turkmenistan and embassies of foreign countries in Turkmenistan observed the transition of the elections.
A total of more than 60 international observers took part in observing elections.
International observers noted that the elections were held in a state of openness and transparency, and that Turkmenistan is taking steps along the democratic path of development.
During the members of observers team’s stay in Turkmenistan, within the framework of the election legislation all opportunities were created for them to familiarize with the works being done in all velayats of our country and in Ashgabat city, meet with heads of ministries and political parties, representatives, members of election commissions, candidates, their trustees and voters. In general, the leaders of observers group’s emphasized that the elections in Turkmenistan were held on an organized, broadly democratic and competitive basis. International observers also noted the active participation of voters in the elections.
Representatives of foreign mass media operating and registered in Turkmenistan, as well as mass media representatives who came to our country on the basis of invitation, took part in reporting the elections’ process.
A total of 3,496,368 voters were registered for the elections of deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of halk maslahaty, gengeshes.
3,185,935 out of a total of 3,496,368 voters in Turkmenistan voted in the elections of deputies of Mejlis, members of halk maslahats, gengeshes, and the turnout was 91.12%.
According to the Central election commission of Turkmenistan, on March 26, 2023, from 7:00 a.m. to 19:00/7:00 p.m. in all 2644 polling stations the elections of deputies of Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of velayat, etrap, city halk maslahats, gengeshes were held in accordance with the law.
In order for voters and observers to express their complaints, special notebooks for suggestions, comments and complaints were placed in the Central election commission, as well as in all polling stations.
In order for physical and legal aspects to be able to contact us immediately in case of issues related to elections, and to prevent violations of election legislation during the preparation and conduction of the elections, the Central election commission has opened a 24/7 "call phone" starting from March 15, 2023.
There were no complaints about the preparation works of the elections and their conduction.
Yesterday evening at 19:00/7:00 p.m. after the voting in the polling stations was completed, the counting of votes started. But, information continues to arrive from our polling stations abroad. Information about the results of the elections will be communicated to the public through the mass media within the period specified by the law.
Dear members of the media!
Dear international observers!
Dear friends!
I express my gratitude to you for participating in today's briefing. Thank you for attention!
March 27, 2023