Tajik Election Commission accuses presidential candidates of misleading public

Text of report by Tajik radio on 11th October

The Tajik Central Election and Referendum Commission has discussed with the participation of representatives from international organizations some more demands put forward by three presidential candidates, Davlat Usmon, Sulton Quvvatov and Sayfiddin Turayev, Tajik radio reported on 11th October. The commission "took into account many of their demands" but not their demand to convene an extraordinary parliamentary session to extend the term for the presidential elections. The radio accused them of misleading international organizations. The following is the text of the report by Tajik radio on 11th October.

The Central Election and Referendum Commission [CERC] of Tajikistan has considered a statement by presidential candidates, Davlat Usmon, Sulton Quvvatov and Sayfiddin Turayev . Head of the OSCE Mission in Tajikistan Marin Buhoara, the UN secretary-general's special envoy in Tajikistan, Ivo Petrov, the head of the UN mission's political department in Tajikistan, Iogesh Saksena, and the representatives of the UN judical service also attended the meeting.

As earlier reported, the CERC extended the deadline, which was defined under the constitutional law of Tajikistan on presidential elections, to create favourable additional conditions for the candidates to collect signatures. The candidates for the post of president of Tajikistan, Davlat Usmon, Sulton Quvvatov and Sayfiddin Turayev, put forward some more demands without any reliable basis, after a meeting with experts and heads of organizations which nominated them. One of the demands was to convene an extraordinary session of the Supreme Assembly of Tajikistan to extend the term for the presidential elections of Tajikistan.

The CERC took into account many of their demands, but it deemed it impossible to convene an extraordinary session of the Supreme Assembly, because that would not comply with the regulations and conditions defined by the constitution of Tajikistan in this field.

It is suprising that some of the candidates referred to collecting the required signatures, but they did not submit the necessary documents for registration to the CERC. These candidates probably considered impossible the political and accepted ways of participating in the election campaign and that is why they are using unaccepted means, to some extent, for their support. They are misleading some international organizations to which they are appealing for assistance, instead of fulfilling the legal requirements of the presidential elections to collect the required number of signatures.

The CERC respectfully demands all candidates to observe all the requirements of the republic's legislation in the election campaign.

Source: Tajik Radio first programme, Dushanbe, in Tajik 1300 gmt 11

Oct 99 BBC Mon CAU