A meeting of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat on preparations for the election of the deputies of sixth convocation of the Mejlis and velayat, etrap and city Halk Maslahaty and Gengesh members.
A meeting was attended by members of the Central Election Commission, staff of the Central Election Commission, representatives of working groups established under the CEC, political parties, public organizations and mass media.
According to the national electoral law, by the Resolution of Central Commission for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan the nomination of candidates will be held from January 24 to February 22, 2018.
They are to be registered from 3 to 27 February.The participants in a meeting stated that the high alternative basis of the upcoming elections is due to the nomination of candidates by three parties and groups of citizens.
This will give a powerful impetus to the election campaign, and will allow voters to nominate the most worthy candidates for the parliament, local representative agencies of state power and local self-governments.
That is, in addition to the Democratic Party, which has become an active social and political force during the years of independence, new parties will now apply for seats in the elected bodies, such as the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Agrarian Party, which has yet to fulfill its enormous potential.
During a meeting, the CEC members delivered information on the work ongoing in the velayats and the city of Ashgabat under the program for the preparation and organized holding of the upcoming elections, which provides for the widest range of activities at various levels, where a special importance is attached to activities among the population, as well as on the results of training seminars for the members of velayat, etrap, city and district electoral commissions.
One of the issues placed on the meeting agenda was the establishment of polling stations at the diplomatic representations of Turkmenistan and organization of their work for those Turkmen citizens who will be outside the country on the day of elections of the Mejlis deputies.
Most of them are students studying at universities of foreign countries.In this regard, a range of priority tasks were defined for the members of district commissions in relation to detailed explanation among the young students of the importance of ongoing election campaign in view of the democratic reforms, being carried out in the country, as well as of the listing of voters and the voting procedure.
Stressing the importance of holding the elections exclusively on the broad alternative basis, the meeting participants focused on the fact that in addition to the national observers from public organizations and political parties of the country, the invited international experts and observers from many foreign countries and reputable organizations, such as the OSCE, the CIS and others will monitor the campaign.
The CEC members assured that all necessary conditions will be created for holding the elections at a high organizational level, on an alternative basis, and in a transparent atmosphere that will allow the candidates to openly give an account of the provisions of their electoral programs, and voters to get acquainted with them, discuss and make informed choices.
During a meeting of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan, the participants discussed the relevant organizational issues.Preparation for the elections enters its active phase.
A great importance is attached to this important socio-political campaign in the context of strengthening the democratic foundations of the Turkmen state, the promoting in the country the principles of true democracy, going back to the centuries.