CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN

The next session of the Central Committee for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan, devoted to issues of preparation for forthcoming elections of deputies of the Mejlis of the sixth convocation, members of velayat, etrap and city khalk maslahaty of the fourth convocation, members of geneshes of the eighth convocation took place. Members of the Central Electoral Committee, representatives of working groups of the Committee, national observers, high ranking officers of political parties and public associations and also mass-media of the country took part in it.

Some issues concerning the forthcoming elections were included in the session’s agenda. In particular, according to the decision of the Mejlis Turkmenistan, this important political action will take place on March 25, 2018.

The Central Electoral Committee approved the planned schedule of actions for preparation and elections. According to the electoral code of Turkmenistan, the decision of the Central Committee for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan will give a start on December 4, 2017 the election campaign. Promotion of candidates will begin 60 calendar days prior to the Election Day.

Within the session its participants discussed a number of organizational issues of forthcoming campaign which will watch not only national observers from political parties and public organisations, but also international experts and observers. In particular, necessary documents, including grants, instructions, various materials for observers and citizens of our country were approved and also training seminars for members of separate electoral committees were planned.

Among paramount issues participants of the session outlined the maintenance of openness and wide alternativeness of elections in this connection, necessity of intensification of actions directed to the explanation of an essence and purposes of the internal and foreign policy of Turkmenistan, social and economic and political and democratic transformations carried out at the initiative of head of the state among population was underlined.
Reports of heads of regional and Ashgabat city electoral committees on preparation of forthcoming elections and also organisation of actions at various levels where a dominant role is given to explanatory work among the population were also listened to. As it was marked, special responsibility lays down on election committees, the success of this major political action in many respects depends on accurate and harmonious activity.

Having noticed that elections of deputies of the Mejlis, members of khalk maslahaty and geneshes will become the next important step on the way of deepening of democratic processes, members of the Central Electoral Committee assured that they will use the best efforts for high organizational level of the elections campaign.