65 precinct election commissions organised in Kazakh diplomatic missions abroad
Sixty-five precinct election commissions have been organised in Kazakh diplomatic missions abroad. This is twice as many compared to the previous presidential election. All sites have been provided with the necessary infrastructure and election material. Our embassies hold briefings and other outreach activities, reported Erlan Idrissov, Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, on the website of the Ministry. We have already received ballot papers from the Central Election Commission, and our specially authorised and trained personnel have already started their delivery to all polling stations. We believe that about 20,000 of our citizens abroad can take part in the upcoming elections. Our country, located in the heart of Eurasia, is an important and influential player on the world stage. So the upcoming presidential elections elicit a great deal of interest among foreign audiences. About 170 foreign journalists wish to travel to Kazakhstan and cover the election; they have received official accreditation from our Ministry. We have tried to create a comfortable working environment for them, including a fully equipped media centre, which will host briefings and interviews. We intend to provide open, transparent and fair elections in accordance with the national law and the highest international standards. Our country is interested in constructive cooperation with international observers. More than 1,000 representatives from international organizations, including the OSCE/ODIHR, the OIC, SCO, TurkPA, CCTS, CIS, CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, as well as independent foreign observers from 37 countries will monitor the elections. Monitoring the election is an important way of supporting democracy and human rights. Kazakhstan attaches great importance to the quality of the monitoring process, which is largely dependent on the composition of the observation missions for the elections. We are convinced that the Central Election Commission will ensure a high level of organisation of the vote, and we expect that observers will demonstrate impartiality and objectivity in their assessments of the electoral process in our country. We are convinced even more strongly that on April 26 the people of Kazakhstan will make another important step towards the consolidation of democracy and nation-building, strengthening socio-economic development in our state.