Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Nov.12 / Trend, H. Hasanov /
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov stressed at a government meeting that presidential elections scheduled for Feb.12, 2012 should be organized and held at a high level, the Turkmen government said on Saturday.
"Election campaign scheduled for February is intended to be another step towards deepening democratic processes, which are reliable foundation for the successful implementation of progressive reforms carried out today in the country," the president said.
This subject was touched upon in early this month and during Berdimuhammadov's meeting with OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, who arrived in Ashgabat to attend an international conference.
Turkmen MPs earlier said that the next presidential elections in Turkmenistan will be held based on the country's Constitution and "taking into account international electoral standards of the UN and OSCE."
According to the country's Constitution, a Turkmen president can be a citizen born in Turkmenistan. The candidate must be at least forty years old, though not older than seventy, know the state language, have lived in Turkmenistan during the past fifteen years, worked in state bodies, public associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations.
A presidential term lasts five years.