We take note of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the European Parliament's International Election Observation Mission to the Tajikistan Parliamentary Elections of 1 March 2015.

The strong turnout in the election demonstrates the commitment of the people of Tajikistan to the democratic process. Nevertheless, the preliminary conclusions of the election observers state that the 1 March parliamentary elections took place in a restricted political space and failed to provide a level playing field for candidates.

Although the government had expressed its ambition to hold democratic elections, and some improvements were made to the electoral law, restrictions on the right to stand, freedoms of expression and assembly, and access to media limited the opportunity to make a free and informed choice.

The EU welcomes the will of the Tajikistani authorities to have a large presence of national and international observers. 

We call on the Tajik authorities to effectively address the restrictions and irregularities mentioned in the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary statement. The EU stands ready to assist Tajikistan in its efforts to bring the election process into line with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections.