In accordance with the Electoral Code, early voting for the election of the President of Turkmenistan has begun.

As it was already reported, having considered the documents provided by the pollical parties and initiative groups, the Central Election Commission registered nine candidates for the President of Turkmenistan. The candidates for the highest state post are:

Serdar Berdimuhamedov - Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers (from the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan),

Agajan Bekmyradov - Deputy hakim of Mary velayat (from the Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan),

Perhat Begenjov - director of the financial and economic secondary vocational school of Lebap velayat (from the initiative group of citizens of Lebap velayat),

Berdymammet Gurbanov - chief physician of the “Avaza” sanatorium of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry, deputy of the Mejlis Milli Gengesh (from the initiative group of citizens of Balkan velayat),

Maksatmyrat Ovezgeldiev - Head of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of the Babadayhan etrap, Ahal velayat (from the initiative group of citizens of Ahal velayat),

Kakageldi Saryev - Director of the Research and Production Center “Renewable Energy Sources” of the State Energy Institute (from the initiative group of citizens of Mary velayat),

Babamyrat Meredov - Director of the Economic Society “Wepaly gurluşyk” (from the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan),

Hydyr Nunnaev - Vice-Rector for Research of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences (from the initiative group of citizens of the city of Ashgabat),

Maksat Odeshov - Chairman of the Committee of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan of the S.Turkmenbashi etrap (from the initiative group of citizens of Dashoguz velayat).

The candidates for the position of the President of Turkmenistan were nominated on a free and equal basis, and the procedure of nomination and registration was open and complied with the requirements of the national legislation.

In accordance with the Electoral Code, the early voting procedure is primarily provided for the citizens, who, for some reason or another, on the 12th of March will not be able to come to their polling station and vote for the worthiest candidate. You can vote from 8 a.m. to 18 p.m.

Broadly speaking about the consecution of the election campaign it is necessary to notice the persistent efforts of all district election commissions in these days which included the worthy representatives of labor collectives, political parties and public organizations.

As informed the National Commission for Election and Referendums of Turkmenistan, all 2577 polling stations of the country are fully prepared for work. There are also 41 polling stations, formed abroad at the diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan, waiting for their voters.

At the moment, monitoring of elections, in addition to national ones, is carried out by foreign observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In particular, today they visited some polling stations in Ashgabat, where they got familiarized with the work of election commissions, technical equipment of polling stations, methodological support of commissions, work with voter lists and directly observed the progress of early voting.

All of them were given the opportunity to visit the polling stations of the capital and all velayats of the country both before the elections and on the voting day.

Currently, the publication of biographical data and keynote speeches of each of the candidates continues. Voters can also familiarize themselves with their electoral programs through organized meetings or at polling stations.

Equal airtime for candidates for the highest state post was provided by national television channels.