- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Presidential election campaign draws to an end in Kyrgyzstan

Subscribe
BISHKEK, July 8 (RIA Novosti, Yulia Orlova, Natalya Belova)- Friday is the last day of official campaigning in Kyrgyzstan's presidential elections before the nation goes to the polls on July 10.

The six candidates are expected to gather again in a television studio Friday evening, following the earlier appearances in televised debates this week, to answer questions from viewers and journalists. All the candidates have passed an exam in the state language, collected 50,000 signatures and put down their election deposit of about $2,500.

Initially, 20 politicians said they would run in the presidential race, but after the two most prominent candidates, leader of the Ar-Namys (Dignity) party Feliks Kulov, and acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, said they would run together, most of the others dropped out.

The head of the international observers, Peter Novotny, said that the election process was proceeding in a far better environment in comparison with the parliamentary elections in 2005. He said monitors had not recorded a single attempt to bribe voters, exert pressure on them or on journalists, or any crude interference from bureaucrats and others officials.

However, observers mentioned problems such as the Central Election Commission's inefficient and opaque work, and imbalanced media coverage of the candidates.

More than 950 international observers are in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, for the election.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала