Preparations for forthcoming elections underway in Turkmenistan
By Kamila Aliyeva
Turkmenistan has launched preparations to elect its next president for the upcoming seven years.
The Central Elections Commission (CEC) has registered national observers from the presidential candidates who from now on will monitor the electoral process
The CEC said on Monday that it issued certificates for observers to monitor the presidential polls scheduled for February 12, 2017.
Total amount of registered observers is 3,223. As many as 610 rep[resent the Democratic Party, 336 - the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 407 - the Agrarian Party, 687 - trade unions, 279 - Women's Union, 509 - Youth Organization, 321 - citizens' initiatives, 74 - representatives of the candidates for the post of President of Turkmenistan.
Observers have the right to attend meetings of election committees, and be there while sealing of the ballot boxes at polling stations before voting process, during voting, while counting of votes, as well as during the determination of the election results by polling station and counting of the overall results.
For the first time three political parties will participate in the presidential election campaign, which have already decided on the candidates. The Democratic Party nominated the current head of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, State Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs - the chairman of the Commercial Bank "Rysgal" Begmyrat Atalyeva, the Agrarian Party - Chairman of the Mary velayat (region) Committee Durdygylycha Orazov.
Six citizens' initiatives were formed during the election campaign. Candidates nominated from them are Maksat Annanepesov, vice-president of the State Association of food industry, Jumanazar Annan's deputy governor f the Mary velayat (region), Durdyyev Ramadan, director of the Seydi oil refinery, Meretdurdy Gurbanov, deputy governor of Dashoguz province, Serdar Dzhelilov, Head of the Department of Economy and Development of Akhal province, Suleymannepes Nurnepesov, General Director of "Garabogazsulfat".
According to the Electoral Code, a candidate that can be nominated for the President of Turkmenistan should be a citizen, born in Turkmenistan, not younger than 40 years, who knows the state language, and who was living and working permanently in the country in the last 15 years.
The current president of Turkmenistan, 59-year-old Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov headed the country since 2007, in 2012 he was re-elected for a new term.
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