CIS Mission: ‘Elections Were Important For Further Democratization of Public Life In Uzbekistan”

On December 24 the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Observer Mission at the presidential elections in Uzbekistan of December 23 held a news conference at the Press Center of Central Election Commission, according to the national newspapers.

The local and foreign journalists, international observers and representatives of diplomatic corps in Uzbekistan participated at it, according to the reports.

The head of the CIS Observer Mission, the Chairman of Executive Committee – CIS Executive Secretary Sergey Lebedev has read out the Statement of CIS Observer Mission on the results of observing the preparation and holding of presidential election.

According to the Statement, 79 international observers, who have represented the executive, election bodies of the CIS participating states, as well as the Eurasian Economic Cooperation Organization (EurAsEc)and the CIS Executive Committee, have been accredited to participate in the elections as observers.

Observing the election processes began from December 10. The Mission headquarters has operated in Tashkent with the branch offices to have functioned in Bukhara, Samarkand and Ferghana provinces. For over the entire period of monitoring the election campaign the observers attended 1207 polling stations, including 703 on the day of voting in Andijan, Bukhara, Jizzakh, Samarkand, Tashkent, Ferghana provinces and the city of Tashkent.

In keeping with the Statement, the necessary legal, organizational and logistical conditions for the international and domestic observing the preparation for presidential elections and voting have been created in Uzbekistan. The CIS observers have had an access to the documents, which regulate the election process, were able to meet with the heads of campaign headquarters of presidential nominees and voters, attended the precinct and district election commissions in the country and gained the necessary information.

Mission has worked alongside with the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan and attended the meetings of candidates with the voters. Observers have received the comprehensive assistance by all local structures in accomplishing the work. The CIS Observer Mission is reported to have noted that the elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan were free, open and transparent.

As a part of his stay, on December 25 this year Sergey Lebedev has been received at the Oksaroy Residence in Tashkent by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, in which the Uzbek leader has highly assessed the work of the Mission in Uzbekistan.

Mr. Lebedev is reported to have thanked the President for the frank welcome and congratulated him on his victory in the elections.