EU Presidency declaration on the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan

The European Union notes the preliminary findings of the OSCE/ODIHR election observer mission concerning the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on 27 February 2005. The EU welcomes the Kyrgyz authorities' smooth cooperation with the mission and the extensive involvement of Kyrgyz civil society in the electoral process. Some Member States sent observers to take part in that mission.

The EU recognises that the elections were more competitive than the last ones held and that electors were offered a real choice among contesting candidates in many constituencies. The EU appreciates the introduction of transparency measures, which in particular helped considerably improve the election procedure, the counting of votes and the publication of results.

However, the EU regrets to see that the elections fell short of OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections in a number of important areas and in particular that the competitive dynamic was undermined by widespread vote buying, deregistration of candidates and a low level of confidence in electoral and judicial institutions on the part of candidates and electors.

The EU is also concerned at failure to respect freedom of the press and at pressure brought to bear on independent media in Kyrgyzstan, which increased during the election campaign. Respect for democratic values cannot be ensured without freedom of expression.

The EU calls on the government of Kyrgyzstan to continue with democratic reform and to heed the concerns expressed, for the second round of parliamentary elections and for future elections. The EU reiterates its willingness to work with Kyrgyzstan in promoting and putting into practice OSCE values and principles, on a basis of mutual trust.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Country Croatia[1], the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

[1] Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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