Text of report by Kyrgyz radio on 23rd February

[presenter] The CEC [Central Electoral Commission] has considered the issue
of conducting inquiries into the complaints and reports about violations,
which the CEC received in the run-up to and during the elections of
deputies to the Legislative Assembly and the Assembly of People's
Representatives of the parliament [on 20th February]. Here is a detailed
report by Inga Sikorskaya.

[Sikorskaya] The CEC received nearly 440 complaints during the pre-election
period and about 10 complaints after the voting. For example, today the
commission discussed a complaint by a candidate from Nariman electoral
district No 31 [southern Osh Region], Anvar Artykov. He complained about
grave violations in his electoral district during the poll, including the
intimidation of voters.

[Artykov] There were cases when voters were given ballot papers with marks
made in them in advance and asked to cast them into a ballot box without
changing anything. There were many such cases. Another thing is that the
turnout suddenly went up from 1600 to 2000 [local time] in the absence of
voters. This is evidence of the fact that ballot papers had been sold in
advance and were cast in the absence of voters. A very nervous situation
emerged in our electoral district: I will tell you, approximately 30
racketeers - bandits who earn their living only by threatening people and
racketeering - were around. They worked for certain candidates. In general,
the results of the elections have been decided in advance.

[Sikorskaya] In their 80-page letter with attached documents and
information, a group of candidates from Issyk-Kul electoral district No 17
- Cholponbayev, Akmatbayev, Kurmanaliyev and Omuraliyev - have requested
the Central Electoral Commission to cancel the results of the poll in that
district. In the letter, they cite cases of violations of the election
code. They demand that their district electoral commission not be trusted
and the accuracy of the vote-counting there be checked. The letter tells
about numerous cases of bribery and deceiving voters and about calls to
overthrow the existing government by force.

Therefore, the CEC has decided to send its officials to Nariman and
Issyk-Kul electoral districts to investigate the complaints.
Sulayman Imanbayev [the CEC chairman], said that the results of the voting
at a polling station in Bishkek, which was located at the National
Hospital, had been cancelled because of violations. It turned out that the
protocols with the results of the voting in this district had been prepared
in advance.

As regards holding the second round of the elections, the CEC chairman said
that its date will be set in accordance with the law and only following the
announcement of the final results [of the first round].

Source: Kyrgyz Radio first programme, Bishkek, in Russian 1400 gmt 23 Feb 00
BBC Mon CAU 240200/** BB/GAR/MK