Dmitriy Kobitskiy: Legal Regulation of Holding Referenda Becomes Essential

The International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of IPA CIS Member Nations (IPA CIS IIMDD) and the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of the Kyrgyz Republic held the International Roundtable “Referenda in the IPA CIS Member Nations: Legal Regulation and International Observation” on 30 March 2021.

At the opening of the roundtable, IPA CIS IIMDD Director Ivan Mushket stressed that a referendum, along with free elections, was the highest direct expression of the will of the people, and noted that such important aspects as legal regulation and international observation of referendums would be considered within the framework of the roundtable.

Secretary General – Head of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat Dmitriy Kobitskiy delivered a welcoming speech to the participants. “Due to the importance of the institution of a referendum for the development and functioning of the state and society, legal regulation of its preparation and holding is of paramount importance”, he noted.

Deputy Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council – Plenipotentiary Representative of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurbek Satvaldiev in his welcoming speech drew the attention of the participants to the extensive experience of the Kyrgyz Republic in holding referenda.

Chairperson of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurzhan Shayldabekova spoke in detail about the principles and mechanisms of legal regulation and organizational support of the referendum in the Kyrgyz Republic. She drew the outcomes of the 2016 constitutional referendum, highlighted the main achievements of the national electoral system and informed on the activities of campaign groups, the formation of election funds based on the principle of transparency, and other aspects of preparations for the referendum.

Deputy Secretary General of the IPA CIS Council – Plenipotentiary Representative of the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic Aidyn Jafarov noted that the legal interpretation of this form of expression of the will of citizens was reflected in the IPA CIS Model Law on National Referenda of 2012. “The adopted definition is broader and is more applicable to all our countries, since each country has its own peculiarities”, he stressed.

The roundtable was also attended by IPA CIS IIMDD experts.