KABUL - In an interview with TOLOnews, Wasima Badghisi, the operational deputy head of the Independent Elections Commission (IEC), said the international community and the Afghan government would provide budget for the electoral commission if it makes sure that a transparent elections is held in the country.
She said security threats, preparing elections budget, making a schedule for the elections and bringing electoral reforms are serious challenges faced by the electoral commissions at the moment.
“The international community’s conditions are to assure that transparent, free and fair elections are held; therefore, we need time [to meet the conditions],” she said.
Badghisi said they continue their discussions with government and non-government institutions to change the election process into an electronic procedure and ignore the traditional systems.
“Holding a transparent election will be possible if we work with a company which provides electoral software. The transparency of the [upcoming] elections will face hurdle if we use the traditional and old systems,” she added.
Schedule of parliamentary and districts councils’ elections is not finalized yet, but the IEC will decide about it in the near future, Badghisi stated.
She mentioned that 38 percent of electoral commissions’ seats are vacant and that the IEC has kicked off the process to appoint new staff and fill the seats.
Meanwhile, Sarwar Danish, the Second Vice President, at an event in Kabul on Friday, pointed out to electoral issues and said government is committed to hold the upcoming elections as a key element for practicing democracy in the country.
“Election[s] is a key element for practicing democracy in the country. The National Unity Government will hold the [coming] parliamentary and districts councils’ elections,” he said.(Tolonews)