BISHKEK, October 16. /TASS/. The mission of observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has commended the level of the organization of the presidential election held in Kyrgyzstan on Sunday, head of the CIS observer mission and Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, Sergey Lebedev, said in Bishkek on Monday.
"We see in a positive light the amendments in Kyrgyzstan’s legislation regulating the electoral system and the use of state-of-the-art techniques during the election and the high level of its organization," he noted.
According to Lebedev, the mission has worked in Kyrgyzstan since September 22. It includes 20 long-term and 192 short-term observers from nine CIS member-countries.
"We have studied carefully the country’s legislation. A gradual convergence of our two countries legislations in terms of elections is underway. On the other hand, there are some specific features, which we treat with respect," Lebedev said.
According to preliminary data, 52.8% of the nearly 1.7 million voters who came to polling stations voted for Sooronbai Zheenbekov, a candidate from Kyrgyzstan’s pro-presidential Social Democratic Party, who won Sunday’s election. Zheenbekov’s closest rival, Omurbek Babanov, secured support from 36.24% of voters. Eleven candidates took part in the presidential race.