Today a few hours it took the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to legalize their stay in office for a third term in the recent presidential elections. Within two hours after the opening of polling stations, according to the local CEC, voted 25% of voters. Three hours before the polls closed, announced the turnout 90,80%. The outcome of the election turnout, according to the Central election Commission, exceeding 97%.
Formally, for the top post in the country, which has huge reserves of natural gas and is the largest supplier of this resource to China, fought nine candidates.
But, as noted by foreign observers, everything was done for the re-election of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, in which the country was unprepared to the decline in world energy prices.
His competitors were unknown people (Bank Manager, the Deputy Governor, the workers of chemical, petroleum and agricultural industries). These candidates are not shown on TV, but it constantly flashed, for example, footage of the Arcadia (the title “Patron” is the President) gives breeders the TV or singing on the site of the refinery.
“In Turkmen politics some room for intrigue. President Berdimuhamedov is virtually guaranteed to win. There is no reason to think that the upcoming election is going to change,” wrote, for example, the American Agency Stratfor.
On the eve of election day, the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch has questioned the possibility of carrying out in Turkmenistan democratic elections.
“There has never been free and fair elections, and these elections were no exception, — said the head of HRW Europe and Central Asia Hugh Williamson. — Conclusions based on our close observation of the situation with human rights in Turkmenistan. There is no freedom of speech, of the press, freedom of Assembly”.
The country did not allow representatives of HRW to monitor the campaign. Preliminary election results are expected on Monday.
