Turkmenistan, Ashkhabad, Jan.26 /Trend H.Hasanov/
The presidential candidates in Turkmenistan standing for the elections scheduled for February 12 are currently holding meetings with voters, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of the country reported
Eight candidates are involved in the campaign: the current president, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the deputy head of the Dashoguz district Recep Bazarov, head of one of the offices of Turkmengaz Kakageldy Abdyllaev, an employee of Turkmenneft Gurbanmamed Mollanyyazov, the Minister of Water Resources Annageldy Yazmyradov, a member of the Ministry of Construction Esenkuli Gayypov, director of a cotton mill Saparmyrat Batyrov and Minister of energy and industry Yarmuhammet Orazgulyev.
Presidential elections will be held on a majority system in which the winning candidate must receive more than 50 per cent of votes. The law doesn't demand the turnout of voters.
If there are three candidates and none of them are elected, the CEC may decide to hold a second vote on two candidates who received the highest number of votes. The candidate who receives the greatest number of votes during the repeated voting will become the president of Turkmenistan.
The CEC implements the registration of the elected president of Turkmenistan. It officially publishes results and information on the election and elected president in the media within seven days after the election.
Mr Berdimuhammadov said recently that the 2012 presidential elections "will take place in a democratic, alternative basis and based on the principles of democracy, openness and transparency".
According to the Constitution, the President of Turkmenistan must be a citizen of and born in Turkmenistan, aged at least 40 and no older than 70 years, know the state language, have resided in Turkmenistan over the past 15 years and have worked in state bodies, public associations, enterprises, institutions and organisations. The presidential term is five years.
Turkmen MPs also stated earlier that presidential elections in the country will be based on the Constitution and take into account the UN and OSCE international electoral standards.