OSCE Centre trains election commission members
BISHKEK, 20 September 2010 - The OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) started today a series of training seminars for precinct election commission members ahead of Kyrgyzstan's parliamentary elections on 10 October.
During the upcoming two weeks, members of 2,300 precinct election commissions will be trained throughout the country for the upcoming elections.
Ambassador Andrew Tesoriere, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: "The professionalism and integrity of precinct election commission members will have a major impact on the successful conduct of the forthcoming elections. The training courses will provide solid practical guidance in line with international standards and best practices".
The seminars will focus on carrying out preparatory work for the elections and on the organization of voting procedures on the voting day.
"Election commissions should be guided in their work by principles of constitutionality, rule of law, publicity, openness, collective nature, and these seminars will reinforce the importance of these principles to the staff of precinct commissions responsible for the organization and conduct of elections," said Akylbek Sariev, the Chairperson of the CEC.
The training seminars are held by the IFES jointly with the United States Agency for International Development and the Kyrgyzstan's CEC, with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
A guide for precinct election commissions and a manual on electoral dispute resolution was developed for distribution among trainees.
The seminars are supported in the framework of the OSCE's assistance to Kyrgyzstan in promoting electoral reform and holding elections in accordance with relevant OSCE commitments and international standards in the field.