A Kyrgyz expatriate in Qatar casting vote on presidential election at the Embassy of Kyrgyz Republic in Doha, yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
A number of Kyrgyz expatriates exercised their right of vote in Kargyz presidential election in a fair, free manner at the polling station established at the embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Qatar.
A total of 37 polling stations established out of the Kyrgyz Republic, including Asia, Europe, America, to allow more than 18,000 eligible citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic to vote during the election.
The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, according to the Constitution, “is the symbol of the unity of people and state power, and is the guarantor of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, and of an individual and citizen.” The President is directly elected for no more than one six-year term by the Kyrgyz electorate.
Outgoing President Almazbek Atambaev was elected as the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on 30 October 2011 and was inaugurated on December 1, 2011. During his presidency he visited the State of Qatar two times and issued decree on opening the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Doha.
For presidential elections held yesterday, four stations were opened in GCC countries, including for the first time in the State of Qatar. Venera, a Kyrgyz national, who was visiting the embassy to cast her vote expressed her full confidence in the transparency of election process. “It is an excellent move to provide an opportunity to Kyrgyz expats the facility to cast vote according to their free will. I am casting my vote after 12 years. The whole process is fair, free and ensured the confidentiality of my vote,” she told The Peninsula.
At voting station in Doha more than 160 voters were expected. The voting station remained open from 8am till 8pm. To make election fair and transparent new technologies will be used, including biometrics.
The innovation in the presidential election is the mandatory registration of biometric data (fingerprints) and live online monitoring of voting process, which makes voting fair and transparent and gives no chances for falsification or forgery.
The Central Election Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic has registered 771 international observers for the presidential election. They represent 56 international organizations and 58 countries of the world.
Talking to The Peninsula, Nuran Niyazaliev (pictured), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kyrgyz Republic to Qatar said that it was a historic event as the expats too were exercising their right to vote.
He said that the turnout was as per their expectations. “We are expecting more than 160 voters while the total number of Kyrgyz nationals in Qatar is 400. Some people are on vacations therefore they will be casting their vote in Kyrgyzstan,” he added.
According to a statement issued by the embassy the Kyrgyz Republic is very keen on strengthening further the brotherly relations with the State of Qatar. President of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambaev visited Doha two times in the past two years and both time met with Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Heads of the two brotherly countries supported intensifying cooperation in trade, economy, investment, culture and humanitarian spheres. The two countries have signed 15 agreements, memorandums and protocols, including Agreement on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation, Agreement on Mutual Encouragement and Protection of Investments, Memorandum on Cooperation in Tourism.
The First Meeting of the Kyrgyz-Qatar Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation was held on March 12-16, 2017 in Doha. The Commission, co-Chaired Minister of Economy of the Kyrgyz Republic and Minister of Economy and Commerce of the State of Qatar, agreed on number of measures to boost trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. The Kyrgyz Republic has also abolished visa requirement for citizens of Qatar, and any Qatari can visit my country without visa.
The Kyrgyz Republic is looking for ways to revive trade and business with Qatar, and proposing to expand trade relations beyond existing range of products and investment in power generation, mining, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, halal industry as well as tourism. The business environment in Kyrgyzstan has been favourable to foreign investments.
The State of Qatar has made significant progress in implementing the National Vision 2030 and the Kyrgyz Republic is in process of elaborating the National Strategy 2040. There is a hope that with support of the business communities our brotherly countries will reach their development goals successfully and prosper together for years ahead. Qatar deserves the best and we are ready to provide it with the best products, the best services and offer the best investment projects.
