CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN

It is held under conditions of new political reality and improved legal framework. Thus, three political parties, namely the Democratic, the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and Agrarian parties, participate in Presidential election for the first time in Turkmenistan. 

With regards to legal framework, under which the current election are held, it was guaranteed by the Law in the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan. It was adopted in 2013 and developed in accordance with general international standards. 

According to the Code, the candidate for President of Turkmenistan has to be a citizen, who was born in Turkmenistan, not younger than 40 years old, speaking the State language and who lived and worked in the country during previous 15 years. 

In accordance with the Electoral Code, the right for nomination of the candidates belongs to political parties as well as to the initiative groups of the citizens. The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan was established in 1991, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in August, 2012 and the Agrarian Party in September, 2014. The competitions between these parties will add new tone to the political life of the state, provide the alternativeness and will enhance the improvement of political culture of the society and every citizen, consolidation of the unity of people, power and democratic institutions, - President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted in his speech during 2016 Elder’s Session. 

All three political parties defined the candidates for the post of the President of Turkmenistan. The Democratic Party nominated the candidacy of the existing Head of the State Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov; the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs suggested Board Director of “Rysgal” Joint Stock Commercial Bank Begmyrat Atalyev; the Agrarian Party nominated Durdygylych Orazov, the Chairman of Mary Velayat Committee. 

Six initiative groups of the citizens were formed during the course of election campaign. They nominated Maksat Annanepesov, the Deputy Chairman of the State Association of Food Industry of Turkmenistan, Jumanazar Annayev, the Deputy Hyakim of Mary Velayat, Ramazan Durdiyev, the Director of Seydi Refinery, Meretdurdy Gurbanov, deputy Hyakim of Dashoguz Velayat, Serdar Jelilov, the director of the Head Department of Economy and Development of Ahal Velayat; Suleymannepes Nurnepesov, General Director of Production Association “Karabogazsulphat”. 

For comparing, nine initiative groups announced on their participation in 2012 Presidential Elections but only two of them managed to gather necessary amount of signatures for nomination of their candidate. During current election campaign, all six initiative groups gathered required number of signatures what indicates civil maturity of Turkmen society and active involvement of people in political life of the country. 

The Central Electoral Committee adopted the schedule of events and necessary documents for optimization of the electoral campaign. 2586 polling centres were established. 39 polling centres were also established at foreign diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan. 

The specialist of the Central Electoral Committee regularly travel to etraps and velayats where conduct training seminars for the members of local electoral committees. The informational highlight, which activation will be provided by specialized website of the Central electoral Committee, is the most important aspect of undertaken work.

Irina Imamkuliyeva