A group of CIS observers, the first of foreign missions, arrived in Ashgabat to observe the parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan scheduled for 14 December. The group is led by the first deputy executive secretary of the CIS, Vladimir Garkun, the head of Turkmenistan”s Central Electoral Commission, Myrat Garryyev told ITAR-TASS news agency.
According to ITAR-TASS, the group of three people has been accredited by the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan. The group will open its headquarters in Ashgabat and start monitoring the country”s election campaign and the national parliamentary election in Ashgabat and all provinces of Turkmenistan. “Another 40 CIS observers will arrive here before the actual start of elections. The head of CIS executive committee, Sergey Lebedev, will take over as head of mission on 10 December,” Vladimir Garkun said.
Other than this, “the election support team” from the OSCE”s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will arrive in Ashgabat on 6 December. It will consist of representatives of Bulgaria, US, Armenia, Ukraine and France.
