Public dialogue “Reforming the Electoral Process in Kyrghyzstan” took place in Bishkek

Bishkek Office of the IIMMD IPA CIS and the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of the Kyrghyz Republic hosted a public dialogue themed “Reforming the Electoral Process in Kyrghyzstan” at the Academy of Public Administration at the President of the Kyrghyz Republic, dedicated to the 15^th anniversary of the Convention on the Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedoms in the CIS Member Nations.

The event brought together members of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrghyz Republic, members of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums and Bishkek Territorial Election Committee, IPA CIS international observers at the presidential elections in the Kyrghyz Republic, and representatives of other international organizations and civil society.

Chair of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of the Kyrghyz Republic Nurjan Shayldabekova addressed the participants of the discussion with a welcoming speech, and delivered a presentation on “Reforming the Electoral Process in Kyrghyzstan: Outcomes and Further Challenges”. Head of the quality management sector of the State Registration Service at the Government of the Kyrghyz Republic Alibek Smagulov made a report on “Biometric Identification of Voters”.

International experts touched upon the issues related to the standards of democratic elections set out in the Convention on the Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedoms in the CIS Member Nations, and their implementation across the CIS. Director of the IIMMD IPA CIS Dmitriy Gladey highlighted this topic in his report. Alexey Kartsov, an IIMDD IPA CIS expert, presented the outcomes of the final report on the compliance of the legislation regulating presidential elections in the Kyrghyz Republic, with international standards of democratic elections.