Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency reported that the elections were held in a free atmosphere without violations, in compliance with electoral legislation. “The organization of elections is very good, one can see that a solid preparatory work had been undertaken. From the very early morning I have visited polls. All polling districts meet all legal requirements, in particular, have electoral registers, all necessary documentation. Process of voting has been skillfully organized,” ITAR-TASS quoted Vladimir Portyakov, an observer from the mission of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Russia.

Another representative from Russia’s leading mass media, Vesti, describing the progress of the vote quoted Sergei Lebedev, head of mission of observers from the CIS Executive Committee, chairman of CIS Executive Committee, who visited polling stations in Tashkent, Khorazm and Jizzakh regions as international observer. As Vesti noted, after visits Lebedev said that “a thorough and comprehensive preparation had been done for the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan to be held on a highest level.” The observer underscored that “in order to ensure practical implementation of citizens’ suffrage, an electoral system was established that fully meets all international standards.” According to chairman of CIS Executive Committee, programs of candidates reflected “many aspects and directions that will serve the future of the country. Election of worthy candidates will contribute to further prosperity of Uzbekistan and welfare of the population.”

“Parliamentary elections were held on the last Sunday of 2009 in Uzbekistan. According to the country’s Central Election Commission, turnout was almost 88%. As President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov spoke on election day, “previously, political parties had never fought for political influence and power,” but this year the race for seats in the lower house of parliament brought a true competition in the process,” wrote the US newspaper the New York Times.
Agence France Press reported that “the current elections demonstrated the movement of Uzbekistan toward a democratic society.” “From this perspective, all that was done in this period, especially after 2000, gave new impetus to this process.”

Chief editor of InfoSCO Tatyana Sinitsyna remarked that “the country has carefully and responsibly prepared for the elections this year, improving the mechanism of all election procedures, liberalizing the process. Taking into account the law ‘On introducing amendments and addenda to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan in connection with the improvement of electoral legislation’, December 2009 elections are called to become an important step in deepening the reforms on democratic renewal and modernization of the country.” This is confirmed by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov who said “many nations of the world have come through centuries of experience and development of democratic traditions to a free civil society. We also dream about building that kind of society and making our steps.”

Chinese media outlets have paid a proper attention to an important political process in Uzbekistan. In particular, Xinhua Information Agency reported that “statement of Uzbekistan’s Central Election Commission that all four parties in the country - Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan and Adolat Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, have been permitted to the elections to the lower house of parliament. Election commissions registered 17,215,700 eligible voters of Uzbekistan. The elections were attended by over 300 observers from 36 states and four assessment missions from international organizations - OSCE, SCO, CIS and OIC.”

China Central Television (CCTV) informed its viewers that almost 8.5 thousand polling stations worked in 135 constituencies, reminding that the citizens of Uzbekistan abroad were also able to cast their votes for candidates - 44 polling stations were opened around the world. In addition, CCTV emphasized that “Uzbekistan’s voters were to cast their vote for one of 506 candidates from four political parties. Under the new electoral law, the number of seats in the lower house of parliament increased from 120 to 150. Of these, 135 deputies are elected by territorial constituencies on a multiparty basis. The remaining 15 will come to the parliament from the Ecology Movement of Uzbekistan.”

The printed edition of the People’s Daily states in Chinese that the lower chamber of the Uzbek parliament consists of 150 deputies elected for 5 years. 135 deputies are elected by direct poll. The remaining 15 deputies are elected from the Ecology Movement of Uzbekistan by its highest body - the Conference.
Chinese Journal Lookwe publicized the comments of the head of CIS Executive Committee Sergey Lebedev who stated that “Uzbekistan has done much for democratic elections. The mission of the CIS Executive Committee participated in the previous elections in Uzbekistan. National electoral legislation has improved significantly. It fully guarantees freedom of expression of citizens and meets democratic requirements. The fact that such a large number of foreign and international observers have arrived to observe the elections demonstrates the great interest expressed in the world to ward Uzbekistan.”

Azerbaijan’s Trend News information agency, reporting on the current parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, quoted Chairman of the Committee on Social Policy of the Parliament of Azerbaijan Milli Majlis Hadi Radjabali who visited the country as an international observer. “At all polling stations where I was able to observe the electoral process, there was a high degree of organization, which can be achieved only by careful preparation. Members of election commissions gave detailed answers to citizens’ questions. Electorate voted actively and freely. I read Uzbekistan’s electoral legislation and other documentation for the elections, as well as amendments. They not only comply with international norms, but also reflect the constitutional rights of voters and democratic principles recognized by the international community. The electoral process has received wide coverage in all media, including Internet. The fact that the voting process was watched by hundreds of observers and foreign journalists ensures openness and transparency of the parliamentary elections,” the Azerbaijani parliamentarian said.

Kazinform information resource of Kazakhstan posted a view of observers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on their pages. As Sherali Jononov, head of the SCO mission noted, observers from the SCO had an opportunity to meet with representatives of all four political parties and the Ecology Movement of Uzbekistan, as well as to visit any of the polling stations in Tashkent city and Sirdaryo region they liked. “There were no violations observed during the elections.”

In the opinion of observer from the CIS mission and Ukraine Anatoly Kinakh, voting process was well organized, and the elections themselves “will create a better quality government, aimed at improving the living standards of people. Changes to the electoral legislation of Uzbekistan, in my opinion, are positive, because in a democratic state the power belongs to the people, and Uzbekistan has moved in this direction,” concluded Kinakh.

WAM Information Agency of the United Arab Emirates published the following information about the elections: “Today, in the election day to the lower house of parliament of Uzbekistan, Uzbek voters cast their ballots in 8,447 polling stations. As Mirzo Ulughbek Abdusalomov, CEC Chairman of Uzbekistan stated in an interview with reporters, about 15 million citizens attended the voting process. He said that the elections took place peacefully, without violations.”


UT