By Prensa Latina
Tashkent : More than 16 million electors with the right to vote are to choose their next President in Uzbekistan among four candidates Sunday, a confrontation in which current President Islam Karimov is the favourite.
Together with Karimov, there are Asliddin Rustamov, from the Popular Democratic Party, Dilorama Tashmuyamedova, from the Social Democrat Party, and Akmal Saidov, who represents another group.
After 17 consecutive years as President, Karimov postulates himself for the Liberal Democratic Party, said the Central Electoral Commission.
The organization said there would be transparent ballot boxes in the 8,266 poll stations established in the national territory, with 43 tables abroad.
Public appearances for written press, radio or TV are forbidden, and also activities related with the electoral process, demonstrations or street meetings.
During the week, publication of polls and studies on predictions on election results were also prohibited, said Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov, Central Electoral Commission president.
The current campaign has the peculiarity that for the first time a woman is nominated for President, in this case Tashmujamedova, leader of the parliamentary Social-Democratic group.
Tashmujamedova, 45, is a Candidate in Medical Sciences and mother of four children. Before being devoted to politics she deployed an intense scientific, pedagogic activity and later worked in the business world.