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SCO mission says Uzbekistan’s presidential elections free and democratic

TASHKENT, December 5. /TASS/. The presidential elections in Uzbekistan, held on December 4, were free and democratic, and they were conducted in accordance with the country’s electoral legislation, head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) observer mission, SCO General Secretary Rashid Alimov said at a briefing on Monday.

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"Our mission has stated that the presidential elections in the Republic of Uzbekistan met the requirements of the national electoral legislation as well as Uzbekistan’s international obligations," he stressed. "The mission has not recorded any violations of the national electoral legislation that could question the legitimacy of the elections, so the mission recognizes the voting as open, free and democratic," Alimov said.

According to the mission members, Uzbekistan’s presidential elections have proven to be "an important step on the path to the further development of democratic processes in Uzbekistan."

Alimov also thanked the country’s Central Election Commission, Interior Ministry and other agencies and organizations who assisted in the SCO mission’s monitoring activities.

According to the initial results issued by Uzbekistan’s Central Election Commission, voter turnout was 87.83%, which is a little less than last year when it was recorded at 91%. 0bea/pa.

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