UNDP Round Table Initiates Process of Codification of Turkmenistan’s Electoral Legislation

Ashgabat, 19 November 2009 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Turkmenistan’s key stakeholders in the electoral process have come together at a round table at the National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights (NIDHR) to discuss international electoral standards and best practices and to initiate the process of codification of Turkmenistan’s electoral legislation. The round table was organized by the UNDP office in Turkmenistan and NIDHR as part of their joint project “Enhancing Electoral System and Processes in Turkmenistan”. UNDP international consultant Mr. Dan Finn facilitated the round table discussions with representatives of the Mejlis, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, the Institute of State and Law, the Institute of International Relations under the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan, Central and Regional Election Commissions and NIDHR.

In her opening remarks, NIDHR Director Ms. Shirin Ahmedova emphasized that the current reform of Turkmenistan’s electoral legislation aims to avoid duplications in the country’s laws regulating the electoral process. In this regards, the UNDP/NIDHR joint project will help review the election laws and make proposals for their further development based on international standards and best practices.  In addition, to help solidify the legal foundation for elections, the joint project will provide technical assistance in combining the election laws into a unified Election Code. 

The round table participants reviewed Turkmenistan’s electoral legislation and election procedures some of which are currently being assessed against international standards within the framework of the UNDP/NIDHR joint project. According to one of the participants, who is Member of Parliament, this work has already produced some changes in the election procedures of Turkmenistan including the adoption of positive voting and printing the ballot papers in the language of ethnic minorities populating certain regions of Turkmenistan.

In this connection, the round table participants also noted the importance of numerous capacity building trainings and seminars conducted by the joint project in the course of one year that helped to identify some inconsistencies in the legal framework, and that the round table was a good opportunity to address them.

Starting his presentations, Mr. Dan Finn noted that although separate legislation has been enacted or amended in Turkmenistan to provide the necessary legal foundation, there is also room for further improvement and expansion of the laws. He familiarized the participants with international standards and practices of election process and presented general provisions, advantages and practical steps for development of an Election Code. 

Summing up the round table discussions, Mr. Dan Finn noted that relevant international standards were reviewed, the structure of an Election Code was outlined, and the specific tasks for its fulfillment were identified.

The UNDP Project “Cooperation on Enhancing Electoral System and Processes in Turkmenistan” was launched in 2008. The project is being jointly implemented by UNDP and National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights in response to the request of the Government of Turkmenistan. The project aims at providing technical support to the government of Turkmenistan with a view to deepening democratic processes and reforms pursued by Turkmenistan. The purpose of technical support is to expose the state institutions of Turkmenistan to relevant international experience to enhance the electoral system and processes in Turkmenistan.