ASHGABAT, February 13. /TASS/. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, a candidate of the Democratic Party, is winning the presidential elections in Turkmenistan with 97.69% of the vote, according to the preliminary data of the Central Election Commission.
More than 3.07 million citizens have voted for Berdimuhamedov so far. Over 3.22 million people had been registered to vote, the election commission’s head, Gulmurat Myradov, said. The CEC continues counting the data from diplomatic missions abroad.
The CEC gave no details on the vote gained by another eight candidates.
International observers confirm that Turkmenistan’s presidential elections were open and transparent, the republic’s Central Election Commission’s head, Gulmurat Myradov, said.
"International observers noted a very active participation of voters in the elections," Myradov said. "They confirmed that the process was open, transparent and in line with democratic ways of development."
The polls were monitored by experts from several organizations, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and also from the United States, China, India, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Austria and Japan.
"There were a total of 154 international observers," he said. More than 3,000 national observers also monitored the polls.
Representatives of the mission from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation said they were impressed by a high voter turnout and congratulated current President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on his victory. "No violations were registered," they said.
Berdimuhamedow, 59, has served as the president of Turkmenistan since February 2007. He became acting president after the death of President Saparmurat Niyazov in December 2006 and won the presidential election. In February 2012, he was re-elected to the post. In October 2011, Berdimuhamedow was given the title "Hero of Turkmenistan." He also received many highest awards in the country and abroad and is an honorary academician in a number of foreign universities.