The CIS, UN, ODIHR, SCO, ISD observers are expected to attend the upcoming March elections

Turkmenistan continues to actively prepare for the Mejlis deputies’, the Khalk Maslakhaty and Gengeshy members’ elections, upcoming on March 25. Nowadays the registration and nomination of candidates are proceeding. 

All electoral districts hold meetings of committees of the Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Agrarian Party, as well as groups of citizens, in the course of which the worthiest candidates are nominated for the National Parliament, local representative authorities and local self-government. Among the candidates are qualified specialists of various sectors of the national economy. 

Candidates are registered in the respective election commissions. As it was previously reported, according to national electoral legislation, the nomination of candidates began on January 24. Registration will last until February 27. 

After the candidate registration completed, their lists will be published in the press and an organizing campaign will begin. Election commissions, as well as relevant authorities, heads of enterprises and institutions will conduct team-work to organize meetings of candidates with voters. All applicants are given equal rights and opportunities to familiarize the electorate with key areas of their pre-election platforms. 

Several candidates are nominated for one seat in all districts, that fully conforms to the principles of alternative elections. The participation of international and national observers will also facilitate the openness and objectivity of the electoral process. 

Currently 2,963 observers have been registered from the Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Agrarian Party, public organizations and associations and groups of citizens. Appropriate certificates are given to all of them. 

The Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States announced about participation of their representatives as observers at the elections. Representatives of the United Nations, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, foreign mass media as well as independent foreign observers are expected to arrive. 

Training seminars were conducted to familiarize national observers with the innovations in the national electoral legislation and election procedure. Earlier, similar seminars were organized for members of velayat, etrap, city and district election commissions. 

In accordance with the generally accepted international practice, observers will be present at the meetings of election commissions, when sealing the ballot boxes, at polling stations before the start of voting, in the course of it, when counting votes, as well as establishing district election results and summarizing the overall results. In addition, they will assess the organization level of the campaign, enforce the legislation prevailing in the country, freedom of citizens’ will and democratic electoral procedure. 

These democratic principles, widely used in the world practice, are intended to ensure the Parliament and local authorities and self-government election of decent people – honest, hardworking, with good organizational skills, active life and civil position, striving to do their endeavors, experience and expertise for implementing large-scale socio-economic programs, aimed at the country’s prosperity and welfare of the Turkmen people. 

Information about candidates registered, as well as the time and place of meetings wit