Tengrinews.kz — Diplomats and international experts from four additional countries will monitor the Kurultai elections, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Mukhtar Yerman announced.
According to official data from the Central Election Commission, 16 foreign observers received accreditation on July 17.
With this decision, the total number of observers has reached 76 to date.
Who is included in the new pool of observers
Foreign nations:
- Georgia – 2 observers, including the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, Giorgi Kalandarishvili.
- Islamic Republic of Iran – 2 representatives, including the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Kazakhstan, Ali Akbar Joukar.
- Sweden – 2 representatives, including the Swedish Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Stefan Eriksson.
- Kyrgyzstan – 2 observers.
International organizations:
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly – 1 candidate: Polish Senator Kazimierz Kleina.
- Collective Security Treaty Organization Parliamentary Assembly – 6 candidates, including the Assembly's Executive Secretary Sergey Pospelov.
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights – 1 observer.
CEC Data
"As proposals are received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, data on international observers will be promptly updated," Mukhtar Yerman concluded.
The document was adopted unanimously.
Who has already been accredited
On July 14, Mukhtar Yerman reported that 60 international observers had been submitted for accreditation. from three international organizations and four foreign states have been submitted for accreditation.
These include:
- 4 observers from the CIS Observation Mission;
- 19 observers from the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States;
- 32 observers from the OSCE/ODIHR Mission;
- 2 representatives from the Republic of Maldives, including the deputy chair of the country’s election commission;
- the Ambassador of Palestine to Kazakhstan, who serves as the head of the diplomatic corps accredited in Astana;
- the Ambassador of Venezuela to Kazakhstan;
- the Chargé d'Affaires of Hungary in Kazakhstan.
On July 1, a new Constitution came into force in Kazakhstan. Concurrently, the Mazhilis and Senate ceased operations, and their deputies' terms ended. Under the new Constitution, a unicameral parliament—the Kurultai—will operate instead of the bicameral legislature.
Elections for deputies of the new legislative body are scheduled for August 23. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed the corresponding decree. Seven political parties have been cleared to run.
Previously, the Central Election Commission approved the main stages of the election campaign for the Kurultai.