Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2015
437. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the presidential election result in Kazakhstan; his views that there was a fair and democratic election process in the recent Kazakh presidential election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17719/15]
View answerPresidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 26 April and the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan announced preliminary results, with 97.7% of votes favouring the incumbent, President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
I would take this opportunity to welcome the fact that the OSCE/ODIHR, at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, deployed an Election Observation Mission to observe the elections. Ireland contributed five Short-Term Observers and one Long-Term Observer to this Mission.
I note the Statement of preliminary findings and conclusions by the Election Observation Mission. While the Statement confirms that, overall, the election was efficiently administered, all electoral deadlines were met and election commissions at all levels were open to observers and the media, it also highlights a series of issues which give grounds for serious concern, including procedural deficiencies and irregularities throughout the voting and the lack of a credible opposition.
I understand that the OSCE/ODIHR will issue a comprehensive final report in the coming weeks and I would urge the authorities in Kazakhstan to respond positively to all recommendations in that report, in addition to previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations not already addressed in the electoral law.
