The mission of long-term observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States headed by Chief of the CIS Executive Committee office Evgeniy Sloboda has arrived in Uzbekistan.

The meeting with the members of the observers’ mission was held at the Central Election Commission (CEC). Chairperson of the CEC had acquainted the guests with the course of election campaign on the election of president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which is being carried out in an open and transparent way in compliance with the national legislation and the Program of major undertakings, adopted by the Central Election Commission on the preparation for and conducting the election campaign. Members of the Mission were informed about the pre-election agitation of presidential candidates for who had been created equal conditions.

The headquarters of this Mission will start its operation in Tashkent for activity coordination of observers from the CIS countries, which will carry out all necessary moves linked with the organization of monitoring process. Its objectives will include collecting information and carrying out the analysis of materials on the course of the election process, legal expertise of relevant legislation and monitoring of information programs broadcast over the TV and radio channels, as well as articles published in printed media, and conducting meetings at the candidates’ pre-election headquarters.

“Our Mission has more than once taken part in monitoring the elections held in Uzbekistan,” underlined Chief of the CIS Executive Committee department Evgeniy Sloboda in an interview with journalists. “I would like to note a tremendous, professionally-qualified and competent work of the Central Election Commission, in particular, on the improvement of the forms and methods of its activities, securing the openness and transparency of presidential elections in Uzbekistan. I would single out among the novelties the adoption of the Program of measures on raising the level of voters’ legal culture, in compliance with which different undertakings are being held on the ground for the first time. It is going to be a good impetus for conducting the upcoming elections at the high organizational level. Our plans for the feasible future include conducting meetings with representatives of the Office of the Prosecutor General, Supreme Court, and Ministry of Internal Affairs. We have outlined plans to visit a number of regions, including Khorezm, Samarkand and Tashkent regions and the city of Tashkent. The Mission will carry out full monitoring of the election process. The final document on the results of monitoring will be presented right on the next day after voting. The Mission’s conclusions will be based on our own observations and we will provide an objective assessment of the national legislation’s compliance with the generally-recognized democratic norms and provisions.

The CIS Mission members were issued mandates of the established form, which give them the right to attend all the activities related to the preparation for and conducting the elections, as well as to be present at the polling stations on the Election Day and during vote counting.