CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN

As is known, earlier, our country invited the observers from foreign states and competent international organizations, including the CIS, SCO and OBSE, which are presented with opportunity to observe the course of election campaign and the elections under their authority. The CIS delegation was the first to arrive to Turkmenistan. First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS Executive Secretary Victor Guminskiy leads the Mission.

During the meeting in the Central Committee for Elections and Referendums, international observers were presented with relative certificates. The guests were familiarized with the plan of events outlined by the Central Committee, composition of election commissions, samples of election documents and the work undertaken at sites.

It was mentioned during the meeting that new Election Code of Turkmenistan reflects the main principles of existing international standards, which are the universal suffrage, voluntary participation of the citizens in the elections, which are held on alternative basis, establishment of equal opportunities for all nominated candidates, freedom of election campaigning, protection of electoral rights as well as publicity and transparency.

Speaking of the importance of participation of international observers in social and political action – the elections of the President of Turkmenistan, special mention was made on the fact that all necessary conditions for the monitoring of the election campaign, including the meeting with official representatives of the candidates, were established. In particular, the headquarter of the Mission provided with necessary office equipment and communication was opened with the assistance of the Central Election Committee.

Duties of the Mission staff include assistance in accreditation of the observers, dealing wth organizational issues, distribution of the observers throughout the regions and definition of their work in the day of elections of the President of Turkmenistan, development of report formats of the observers and their analysis, establishmentof working contacts with other observation missions. 

V. Guminskiy highlighted that the CIS Election Observation Mission will perform its activity based on international standards, independently, without interference to the internal affairs of the state. The objective of the Mission is to support free and democratic elections.