Election officials from Central Asia conclude workshop at International IDEA

Press Release: 

Election officials from Central Asia conclude workshop at International IDEA

Stockholm, March 17, 1998 --Sixteen top-level election administrators from the five Central Asian Republics, and various international election experts today ended a two-day workshop on elections in Central Asia.

The meeting was jointly organized by International IDEA (the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR).

The meeting was the first of its kind where election officials in Central Asia could discuss common approaches to the many challenges facing these newly independent states.

Among the participants were the chairpersons of the election commissions of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, countries which will hold their second presidential and parliamentary elections in 1999 and the year 2000. Representatives from the United Nations Development Programme, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the International Federation of Journalists, the International Foundation of Election Systems and Electoral Reform International Services also participated.

"Democracy and free and fair elections are two sides of the same coin, you can’t have one without having the other," said Mr Tagan Haliyev, Minister of Justice in Turkmenistan. "The countries in the region are on the road to democracy but we are not there yet. Organizing professional and independent elections is an important step in the right direction."

"There is a growing consciousness about the importance of conducting free and fair elections throughout Central Asia," said Mr Peter Harris, Programme Director at International IDEA. "This workshop helps assist the process whereby elections in the region are conducted professionally and ideas and observations can be shared freely among the countries participating."

Among the topics discussed were: the role and structure of an election administration, electoral systems, conducting effective and cost efficient elections, voter, candidate and party registration, elections and the international community, and the role of the media.

Ms. Bettina Peters, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Federation of Journalists, spoke on the necessity for openness, transparency and protection of journalists who cover elections. "The state must in any election stay away from interfering in the reporting by the media," she said, adding that "governments have an obligation to investigate, prosecute and punish illegal actions aiming at interfering with the freedom of the press."

Mr Vadim Zdhanovich, Senior Advisor for OSCE/ODIHR added: "The election officials who participated here these two days can go back home and take with them ideas on legislation, voter participation, and how to treat the media, which hopefully will enhance the transparency of decision-making and promote greater public confidence in elections and politics."

International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) was founded in February 1995. The Institute’s overall objective is to promote and advance sustainable democracy world-wide and to improve and consolidate electoral processes. To date, Members are Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, India, Namibia, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, the International Federation of Journalists, the International Press Institute, and Parliamentarians for Global Action. The Institute also has co-operative agreements with the International Commission of Jurists, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations Development Programme. Switzerland also contributes to the work of the Institute.