DUSHANBE, March 1. /TASS/. Turnout at Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Tajikistan was 82%, chairman of the Central Election Commission Shermukhammad Shokhiyon told the state television.
He said preliminary results of the voting and the balance of political forces at the lower parliament house will be announced at a news conference on Monday morning. "The election campaign and voting were held in a calm festival atmosphere. The Central Election Commission has received no complaints," he said.
There are 4.318 million eligible voters in Tajikistan, including Tajik national temporarily stating abroad. As many as 35 polling stations were opened in 20 countries.
A total of 288 candidates were competing for 63 seats in the country’s legislative assembly. Of that number, 103 candidates were running on party tickets and another 185 had been nominated in single-mandate constituencies. As many as 79 candidates were self-nominees.
The two most influential political forces, the ruling Popular Democratic Party and the Party for Islamic Revival of Tajikistan, have nominated 27 candidates each. The Agrarian Party and the Social Democratic Party, which stands in a tough opposition to the authorities, have nominated 13 candidates each. A total of twenty-seven candidates have been nominated by the Communists, Socialist, Democrats and Economic Reformers.
International organizations sent 528 observers to monitor the election, which is covered by more than 100 foreign correspondents.