CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN

The Central Commission for Elections and Referenda in Turkmenistan held a meeting to sum up the results of the nationwide elections of the deputies of the Mejlis of the VI convocation, the members of the velayat, etrap and city Halk Maslahaty and Gengesh.

Those speaking during the meeting underlined that the elections were held on the principles of alternativeness, transparency and openness, confirming Turkmenistan's commitment to the democratic way of development and the course of progressive reforms.

All stages of the election campaign were organized in a timely manner, in accordance with the requirements of the current national legislation and generally accepted international standards. Voting took place at 2604 polling stations on the territories of electoral districts. 39 polling stations were opened at the embassies and consular offices of Turkmenistan in foreign countries, where thousands of our compatriots cast their votes.

According to the Central Election Committee, of 3.291.525 million voters, 3.019.957 citizens or 91.75% of the citizens of Turkmenistan, who have the right to vote, cast their votes for the Mejlis deputies, the members of Halk Maslahaty and Gengesh.

It was noted during the meeting that of 284 candidates, 125 Mejlis deputies were elected, of 240 members of velayat and 1,200 etrap and city Halk Maslahaty were elected of 3.059 candidates, 5.900 Gengesh members were elected of 13.215 candidates. Two or more candidates ran for one mandate in all constituencies.

The newly elected Mejlis deputies, and members of Halk Maslahaty and Gengesh include 3.257 representatives of the Democratic Party, 352 – the Party of Industrialists and Manufacturers, 1.358 – the Agrarian Party and 2.498 – the groups of citizens.

The lists of newly elected Mejlis deputies, and members of Halk Maslahaty and Gengesh were considered and approved during the meeting.

The heads of Ashgabat and velayat election committees emphasized the high educational and professional level of the people’s representatives. Among them are the representatives of different nationalities, working in government institutions, the various industries of the national economy, agricultural sphere, the sectors of education and science, culture and arts.

The meeting participants emphasized that the elections were held at the high organizational level, in compliance with the legislation of Turkmenistan and the generally accepted norms of the international law.

The nationwide voting, taken place in the country last Sunday by the free and unfettered expression of its citizens, completed the two-month marathon of the election campaign that was monitored by 142 foreign observers and experts - the representatives of the CIS Election Observation Mission, the United Nations, as well as members of the delegation of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and a number of foreign countries.

Over 4,000 national observers, including the representatives of political parties, public organizations and associations, groups of citizens and candidates themselves, who monitored the elections, confirmed that the elections were held at the high organizational level, without substantial breaches.

In the course of the meeting, once again, thanks were expressed to the participants and all participants of the last election process, including representatives of the media, who provided high-level information support to the election campaign.

Those speaking during the meeting expressed gratitude to all those present and the participants of the elections, including the mass media representatives, who provided the wide media support to the election campaign.

In conclusion, underlining the progressive character of the democratic reforms in Turkmenistan, the meeting participants emphasized the progressiveness and far-sightedness of the policy pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in this direction.