On September 11, 2014 was held a briefing for foreign and national journalists regarding to the announcement of the election campaign on elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city Kengashes of people’s deputies.
It was attended by members of the Central Electoral Commission, representatives of international and national media.
The chairman of the Central Election Commission Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov informed journalists on adopted resolution “On the declaration of the election campaign on elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city Kengashes of people’s deputies” and elaborated on the main activities, stipulated in this resolution.
Also the main stages of a schedule of activities on the preparation and holding elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan were announced.
During the briefing especially emphasized that all activities within the campaign will be carried out by the Central Election Commission and the election commissions in strict accordance with the basic principles and requirements of the electoral law and the Program on the preparation and holding of elections to the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city Kengashes of people’s deputies in 2014.
Briefing participants’ attention was drawn to the fact that Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the main organizer of the election campaign. It was noted that interference of any organizations, especially government officials, in central and local levels in the electoral process, as well as the provision of benefits and preferences for any of the contestants, is not permitted. Standards, requirements of the electoral legislation are the same for everyone.
Every attempt to intervene in the election campaign or violate the requirements of the legislation in the preparation and conduction of elections will be stopped and punished in accordance with law.
The briefing participants were also introduced to recently adopted innovations of electoral legislation, directed at further democratization of the electoral system.
Thus, in the framework of Concept of further deepening of democratic reforms and formation of civil society in the country, in 2011, 2012 and 2014 in some of the articles of the Constitution of Uzbekistan and the electoral laws amended and supplemented, which became an important factor in the further democratization of the electoral process, significant enhancement of legal guarantees of the election campaign in full accordance with generally accepted democratic principles and the requirements of the legislation.
Therefore, a number of changes were made in the electoral legislation. They were aimed at clear identifying the forms and methods of campaigning, improving mechanisms to ensure equal conditions for candidates, political parties in the course of its implementation. Legal mechanisms to ensure transparency in the elections were improved.
Constitutional consolidation of the status of the Central Election Commission, the main principles of which are independence, legality, collegiality, transparency and justice, is vital to ensure comprehensive support for democracy, openness and transparency of elections, the legality of their conduction.
The briefing participants were also familiarized with the work being carried out during the preparatory period for the upcoming elections. In particular, the implementation of a package of measures to explain to voters the main provisions of the electoral law and the improvement of their legal culture. Performances of scientists, experts and practitioners in the media were organized. Dozens of “round tables” with the participation of representatives of civil society, scientific workshops were held.
In addition, journalists were informed about the international events conducted in May and September of this year in Tashkent and Samarkand under the auspices of CEC. These events were devoted to international standards for democratic elections, development and improvement of national electoral legislation, ensuring openness and transparency of the electoral process in compliance with the principle of the rule of law at all stages of the election campaign. These events were attended by international experts of the World association of electoral bodies (WAEB), the Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (BDIHR), the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the National Democratic Institute (NDI) (USA), scientists and experts from the United States, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, China, South Korea, Turkey and other countries. Participants of these conferences – foreign experts noted that the electoral legislation of Uzbekistan fully corresponds with generally recognized norms of international law and democratic standards.
At the end of the briefing noted that today in Uzbekistan has been created all the necessary legal framework for an open, public and transparent conduction of free, fair and democratic elections.
Press-servicethe Central election commission
