Observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) expect to take part in monitoring the presidential elections in Turkmenistan, the Minsk-based BELTA news agency reported on Wednesday with reference to the First Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee – CIS Executive Secretary Leonid Anfimov.
"We are planning. We have already discussed these issues. At a recent meeting of the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan, it was said that observers, both domestic and international experts, will take part in the elections. And, of course, I think we will get such an invitation in the near future and have already started to form this mission," Leonid Anfimov said.
Last Saturday, Ivan Mushket, Director of the International Institute for Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarianism and Suffrage Protection of Citizens of CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (IPA), said the IPA CIS will consider an invitation from the authorities of Turkmenistan to take part in monitoring the upcoming early presidential elections, if it is sent.
Turkmenistan will hold the early presidential elections on March 12.
The presidential election campaign started on Monday.
