The Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan (CEC) approved the cost estimate for early presidential elections at a meeting yesterday.
The election campaign will cost 549,161,100 soms. At least 369,137,300 soms of the sum will be sent to the regions. This amount includes travel expenses, purchase of stationery, training of TEC and PEC members, salaries, daily allowance, and communication services. The publication of ballot papers will cost 7-10 million soms.
CEC Chairwoman Nurzhan Shaildabekova noted that the indicated savings reach 212 million soms. At the same time, the Central Election Commission asks to additionally allocate 147 million soms from the budget. «We will try to attract international partners to help us with purchase of PPE. We, of course, counted on two campaigns. But now we have to explain,» Nurzhan Shaildabekova said.
She also added that in case of early elections, the tender is carried out through a direct agreement. «Priority expenses are prescribed for the opening of polling stations,» the head of the CEC said.
Earlier, the Central Election Commission set early presidential elections for January 10, 2021. This decision is not contested. However, another decision of CEC — to hold repeat parliamentary elections — caused disputes. The court canceled it.
The law adopted by the Parliament provides for suspension of Articles 38 and 63 of the Constitutional Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on Elections of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and Deputies of the Parliament, which regulate the procedure for holding repeat parliamentary elections until the end of the constitutional reform. The dates for the elections will be set after implementation of the constitutional reform in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic, but no later than June 1, 2021.
The specified law of the Kyrgyz Republic comes into force from the moment of its official publication and is valid until the completion of the constitutional reform.
Sadyr Japarov said that the elections of deputies of the Parliament will be held until March 2021. Later he stated that parliamentary elections would not take place in the first half of 2021.