The caretaker government of Kyrgyzstan cancelled amendments to the law on elections, introduced by the original interim government soon after the July referendum. According to the press secretary Farid Niyazov, the upcoming parliamentary elections will be conducted according to the preexisting elections code.
The government cancelled the decree amending the election code, signed into law on July 1, seemingly in response to mounting public scrutiny and criticism that the amendments, such as voting at a place of residence instead of a place of registration, could lead to massive election fraud. Akylbek Sariev, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, also complained of legal ambiguity surrounding the elections and asked for one legal document to be selected to underwrite the election process.
Niyazov also said that President Otunbayeva will sign tonight the decree formally announcing the parliamentary elections on October 10. The Central Election Committee will be directed to launch preparations for the elections, and security agencies will begin developing security precautions for the elections.
In the meantime, the mayor of Osh, Melis Myrzakmatov, said that the upcoming election campaigns could worsen the situation there, if some politicians resort to dirty tactics. Myrzakmatov promised that if any political leaders attempt to destabilize interethnic relations in Osh, they will be barred from entering the city.
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[...] Earlier this summer, following deadly ethnic clashes in the south of Kyrgyzstan that resulted in thousands of people fleeing their homes, the Kyrgyz interim government introduced election law amendments allowing people to vote at their places of temporary residence. However, the mounting criticism that these amendments might lead to widespread election fraud have forced the government to cancel these amendments. [...]