In Tashkent, the Central Election Commission of Uzbekistan has organized today a national online training seminar for members of district electoral commissions set up recently for presidential ballot in the country due December 4.

Arranged as a video-conference, the event was attended by members of the Central Election Commission, all members of district electoral commissions, chiefs of press centers of district electoral commissions, experts in the field of electoral law, representatives of political parties and mass media.

The online seminar is designed to further cement the knowledge on electoral law and skills of its application in the process of organization of activities of district electoral commissions established to spearhead preparations and conduct the upcoming vote.

During the event, chairman of the Central Election Commission, Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov, stressed in particular that the presidential elections scheduled for December 4, 2016, constitute an important event in the sociopolitical life of the country. The progress of the electoral process depends, it was noted, on all its participants, their political maturity and choice.

Elections are the integral part of the democratic state ruled by law, free civil society, a principal form of expression of citizens' free will, their direct participation in the political life, in governance, in shaping the government bodies.

As a result of reforms undertaken in Uzbekistan during independence years at the initiative of the first President of the country, the nation has built an electoral system that meets the democratic principles and universal international standards, and that which secures the guarantees of free expression of will by the citizens.

The critical component of the national electoral system is the operation of independent structure of election commissions that provide for the organization of elections on the basis of publicity and transparency and in full compliance with requirements of the law. The elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan are carried out by the Central Election Commission, district and precinct election commissions.

The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan has the status of constitutional body, occupies a special place in the system of government, and ensures the organization and conduct of elections without any interference of government bodies. The CEC acts on the basis of principles of independence, legitimacy, collegial work, publicity, justice, which facilitates the free expression of will of the voters and further consolidation of guarantees of the democratic nature of elections.

It was underscored at the training seminar that the preparations to the presidential elections in Uzbekistan has been underway in accordance with the Program of Major Activities approved by the Central Election Commission. The political parties have been granted access to elections; electoral districts and district electoral commissions have been formed; and all the conditions and environment conducive for their activities are created. In order to secure the transparency and publicity of the elections, representatives of mass media are being accredited to cover the process. Invitations have been sent to international observers.

Under the Law "On Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan", district electoral commissions have been tasked with oversight of the execution of this law and its universal application within the area (electoral district or region of the nation), with establishment of electoral precincts, fixation of their numeration within the district, publication of their list with the indication of addresses, coordination of activities of precinct electoral commissions, hearing of reports of representatives of political parties, heads of enterprises, institutions and organizations located in the territory of the electoral district, on issues pertaining to preparations and conduct of elections.

It was pointed out in particular that commissions for elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in their activities should attach special significance to such principles as legitimacy, securing publicity and transparency of the electoral process.

During the training seminar, its participants heard the reports expounding the principal tasks and objectives of district electoral commissions for elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the essence and significance of latest amendments and addenda to the national electoral legislation, issues related to the interaction of electoral commissions with political parties, international electoral standards, guarantees of electoral rights of citizens, tasks of press centers to ensure transparency and publicity of elections, the place and significance of the institution of observers in the electoral process, organizational peculiarities of the activities of district electoral commissions, as well as other issues concerning the preparations and conduct of the forthcoming ballot vote.

Participants of the training seminar also got familiar with the work of the Republican Press Center for Covering the Elections of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Tashkent City District Electoral Commission.