MINSK, 21 March (BelTA) – The parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan are held in open competition, BelTA learned from the interim report of the CIS election observation mission in Turkmenistan.
The report emphasizes that “the election campaign is calm and is held in the spirit of open competition, the civil way and at a high organizational level.”
The mission was deployed on 5 March. The CIS long-term observers have already got familiar with the operation of district and precinct election commissions in Ahal Region, Balkan Region, Mary Region and Ashgabat. The mission noted that the commissions are equipped with necessary communication and office equipment, necessary methodological literature and information materials. “The central and its subordinate election commissions undertake necessary measures for the proper organization of elections in accordance with the requirements of the electoral law,” the interim report says.
According to the CIS observers, the nomination and registration of candidates to the Parliament of Turkmenistan "were held freely and openly, on an equal footing, in compliance with the requirements of the national legislation.” Voters have access to the reliable and objective information about candidates for the parliamentary seats, the course of the election campaign.
The mission is currently monitoring the early voting, which will last through 24 March. Observers state that this stage of the elections is held in accordance with the election legislation of Turkmenistan.
The CIS mission comprises 90 observers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State and the CIS Executive Committee. The parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan are scheduled for 25 March 2018.
