Kazakhstan, Astana, April 3 / Trend A. Maratov /
Belgian Honorable Senator Paul Wille, as a short-term observer for the elections in Kazakhstan, stressed the positive atmosphere while carrying out his mission in the first half of the voting day.
"It is difficult to compare the reports of short and long-term election observers," he said at a press-briefing on Sunday. As a short-term observer, I focus on the external side of the process, whereas the long-term observers pay more attention to the technical side."
Polling stations are open from 7:00 a.m. to 20:00 p.m. on the Kazakhstan time. The authorities promise the most transparent elections in history.
Besides the incumbent president, Communist Zhambyl Ahmetbekov, leader of the Patriots Party, Senator Gani Kasimov and Tabiyat Ecological Union leader Mels Eleusizov participate in the snap presidential elections.
A total of 1,059 accredited observers will be monitoring the elections in the country. The most numerous mission will be from the CIS (425) and the OSCE/ODIHR (357 people). Over 250 foreign journalists monitor the elections.Senator Wille said that the OSCE / ODIHR mission often observes negative attitude towards certain countries.
"There are often negative opinions formulated in advance," he said. It deals with double standards in some countries."He expressed hope that the monitoring regime in Kazakhstan will be clear and objective.Commenting on the boycott of the elections by the Kazakh opposition, he said that it is up to the opposition to participate in the elections or not.
"Good democracy envisages the strong opposition," he said. However, the role of the opposition is not to say that something is wrong. The role of the opposition is to voice good proposals for citizens to vote for them."
He stressed that he has not heard enough good proposals from the Kazakh opposition. "I hope that the opposition will form worthy proposals, as a condition of democracy in the future," he said.
He wished brilliant future for Kazakhstan.
According to experts, the acting head of state will easily win the election. 70-year-old Nazarbayev has been in power for over 20 years, and according to opinion polls, is supported by about 90 percent of the population.
The CEC will announce the preliminary results of the elections in the first half of April 4.