By Nazgul Baktybekova (1/26/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

In late 2004, the Kyrgyz Parliament adopted and later the President approved a law aimed at restraining election fraud. According to the new amendment to the election code, each voter will have the thumb of his or her left hand marked with an ink-like fluid when going to the polls. This is meant to prevent voters from voting repeatedly.

By Marat Yermukanov (1/26/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Kazakhstan’s official press this time diverted from the long-standing practice of previously announcing the visits of state leaders and did not write a word about Putin’s trip to Almaty prior to the event. The enigmatic Putin broadly outlined the purpose of his visit in a very furtive manner naming joint development of energy resources, bilateral cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Single Economic Space as the main issues of the agenda. Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev added little to these statements.

By Chemen Durdiyeva (1/12/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Turkmenistan’s unicameral parliament, the Mejlis, consists of 50 delegates elected every five years. According to the laws of Turkmenistan, any citizen of Turkmenistan who reached the age of 25 and has been living within the country for the last 10 years can become a candidate in parliamentary elections. For the whole time of its functioning, the Mejlis has nevertheless practically never overruled any executive orders or legislation proposed by the executive branch.