DUSHANBE, July 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — Citizens of Kyrgyzstan temporarily living in Tajikistan are also casting votes to elect their president today.
Chairman of electoral commission of the polling station opened at the Kyrgyz Embassy in Dushanbe, Urmat Saralayev, told Asia-Plus today that the polling station will work till 8:00 pm. According to him, 31 Kyrgyz nationals are registered with the consular department of the Kyrgyz Embassy in Dushanbe.
On April 20, 2009, the United Opposition announced its candidate – Almazbek Atambayev, the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, the only opposition party represented in parliament. Another opposition politician, former defense minister Ismail Isakov, announced on May 19, 2009 that he would withdraw from the race to improve Atambayev”s chances, reducing the field from 18
to 17 potential candidates.
Apart from Bakiyev and Atambayev, four more candidacies have been approved: Those of Toktaiym Umetaliyeva (chairwoman of the Association of Nongovernmental and Nonprofit Organizations), physician Jenishbek Nazaraliyev, Tamir Sariyev and Nurlan Motuyev, the leader of the People’s Patriotic Movement Zhoomart.
