Azerbaijan, Baku, June 3 / Trend , E.Ostapenko/
The main outcome of the Bishkek meeting was a memorandum of understanding, 'It's the time of MY choice!', to prepare to incoming presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan, the OSCE's press release said.
"We are pleased with the interest of all parties participating in this dialogue. The points of discussion included ensuring a free and transparent election, equal opportunities for all candidates and OSCE standards on elections," said Damir Lisovsky, the Chairman of the Kyrgyz Central Elections Commission. "But the main outcome of the meeting was a memorandum of understanding, 'It's the time of MY choice!', which signed by representatives of the CEC and the Alliance of Civil Organizations."
A conference was organized by the Kyrgyz Central Elections Commission (CEC) with civil society groups and supported by the OSCE Centre and the German Embassy in Kyrgyzstan.
The conference aimed to foster dialogue between the authorities and civil society on conducting the election, the rights of observers and handling legal violations. The one-day event brought together some 80 participants from the Supreme Court, the Presidential administration, the Prosecutor General's Office, the CEC and regional election commissions, civil society, political parties, media and the international community
The OSCE Centre emphasizes the importance of domestic observation of elections with the involvement of local non-governmental organizations, Lilian Darii, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said.
"Their active participation lends authority to the electoral process and it strengthens the wider process of confidence-building and partnership between the authorities and civil society," she said
"It is of the utmost importance that elections are held in a fair and transparent way, and to achieve this. The CEC of the Kyrgyz Republic and civil society need to work together well," said Peter Neven, the Deputy Chief of the German Embassy in Bishkek.
The presidential elections will be held in Kyrgyzstan on July 23.
One must present not less than 50,000 signatures of electorate (at the same time not less than 3 percent of votes must be from every provinces of the republic) and to pay election deposit 100,000 sums (about $2,500) in order to get official status of presidential candidate.
Every candidate will have to pass exams on knowledge of mother tongue. Six people have already passed the exams. The incumbent President Kurbanbek Bakiyev will nominate his candidature to the second term.
Ten people will nominate candidatures to the presidential post in Kyrgyzstan.
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