IPA CIS Observer Team Continues Long-Term Monitoring of Parliamentary Elections in Republic of Uzbekistan

As a part of long-term monitoring of the elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the members of the IPA CIS Observer Team visited the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan and headquarters of four parties participating in the elections.

In the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan Acting Director of the IIMDD IPA CIS Ekaterina Goloulina, Head of Election Observation Department of IPA CIS IIMDD Yulia Anisimova and IIMDD expert Stanislav Tkachenko met with the CEC Chairman Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov. The Chairman of the CEC welcomed the accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the IPA CIS. He informed the members of monitoring mission on the functioning of the electoral system in the Republic of Uzbekistan during the preparation of the parliamentary, regional or local elections since 20 September 2019, when a decision to held parliamentary elections and elections to local executive organs was taken.

Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov told about a number of educational programs implemented by the CEC to encourage the participation of 2 millions of young voters. Furthermore, the CEC has launched a month-long campaign on studying the electoral legislation in order to increase awareness about the electoral processes in the Republic of Uzbekistan among citizens, public authorities and deputies. It was held from 20 October 2019 to 20 November 2019 using a variety of formats including in the Internet.

According to the CEC Chairman, the most perspective directions for development of electoral system of the Republic of Uzbekistan are implementing proportional electoral system and nominating the candidates to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan by initiative groups. He stressed this would help to develop democratic elections according to international standards.

First Deputy Speaker of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Republic of Uzbekistan Sodiq Safoev met the IPA CIS Observer Team at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Republic of Uzbekistan. He expressed confidence that a new generation of politicians committed to the idea of socio-economic reforms would be elected. Sodiq Sofoev also supported Uzbekistan’s joining the CIS Convention on Standards of Democratic Elections, Voting Rights and Freedoms and more close partnership with other Member Nations in the field of legislation harmonization.

At the headquarters of the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, Leaser of the party, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Boriy Alikhanov and other party leadership organized a meeting with the IPA CIS Observer Team. Until January 2019 the party has been carrying out its activity as a public organization – the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan – and has been represented at the parliament by means of quota system for more than 10 years. This year the party takes part in the elections on the competitive basis for the first time. According to the representatives of the party, they did not have any difficulties with registering candidates or while interacting with electoral commissions on different levels. Campaigning focused on drafting individual electoral programs for each candidate based on ecologic zoning and providing concrete proposals for ensuring comfortable living environment.

In the afternoon, the members of the IPA CIS Observer Team visited the headquarters of the Democratic party of Uzbekistan “Milliy Tiklanish”, where they met with Chairman of Central Council of the Party, Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Alisher Kadyrov and representatives of party leadership. Alisher Kadyrov described the current stage of country history as the opening of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the world and supported the reforms of domestic and foreign policy. “Milliy Tiklanish” party actively uses electronic media, social networks and printed products including caricaturing their opponents in party’s periodicals. The party follows fierce tactics at the debates. The special feature of the campaign is simultaneous agitation activities of candidates on district, regional and national levels.

At the headquarters of Social Democratic party of Uzbekistan “Adolat”, the IPA CIS Observer team met with Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Head of the “Adolat” party faction in the Legislative Chamber of the parliament Alisher Umarov. According to Alisher Umarov, the party declares that the reforms conducted by the government, which are targeted at marginalized and economically disadvantaged people, are insufficient. The party promotes draft laws to enhance efforts and forms of governmental support in the field of education, healthcare and social protection. The unique feature of the party is a high percentage of employees of budget-funded and public institutions. This is the reason for a high representation of women (more than 47%) among its candidates. All three current MPs of Social Democratic party are women. Alisher Umarov stressed an equal access of all parties to media, timely funding of television election debates by government, publication of party’s programs in national newspapers. He also noted that these elections were the most competitive in the history of independent Uzbekistan.

The series of visits finished with a meeting with leadership of People’s Democratic party of Uzbekistan represented by Head of the Central Council Ulugbek Inoyatov. The party focuses on improving living standards of the population, solving the problem of social housing, developing systems of education and healthcare and implementing socio-humanitarian projects. Ulugbek Inoyatov highly evaluated the new Electoral Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan and commended the work of the CEC staff members who provided large-scale educational programs for district and local election commission members.