“Stakeholders are attempting to substantiate their baseless allegations regarding the October 26 elections by manipulatively interpreting decisions made by the Central Election Commission (CEC),” the CEC statement said.

“This time, the reason for the attack on the election administration stems from the CEC’s decision to modify the design of various election documents, including adding a cover to the ballot slot of the vote counting machine. Certain individuals are attempting to interpret this as an admission of alleged violations during the October 26 elections,” the statement elaborated.

“We wish to clarify that this decision does not constitute an admission of unfounded claims regarding secrecy violations. Rather, it is a preventive measure aimed at avoiding speculation driven by political motives,” the CEC emphasized.

The commission further explained that “there were instances during the previous elections when some parties engaged in observing election procedures were taking photos and videos, and processing voters’ personal data in violation of legal requirements. These actions contributed to unwarranted claims questioning the secrecy of the vote,” the CEC stated.

According to the commission, it was only after thoroughly examining these incidents that the election administration— as the body responsible for overseeing the process— implemented legal measures to prevent similar acts of speculation in the future.

“Unfortunately, interested parties attempted to portray the resolution concerning election day procedures as a restriction on observation activities, and the decree to attach a cover to the ballot slot of the vote counting machine as an admission of secrecy violations,” the CEC statement continued.

“Given past experiences, we anticipated that these issues would again be exploited by certain actors to discredit the election administration and distort public perception. The pattern is familiar: an interested individual raises a concern on social media, which is then amplified by biased NGOs and political parties to undermine trust in the election process. Subsequently, these narratives are presented to international partners as a unified stance, to manipulate both voters and international partners,” the statement explained.

The election authority reaffirmed its commitment to improving the electoral process, saying it prioritizes ensuring that each election is conducted more efficiently and to the highest international standards, even if such measures are misrepresented to discredit the organization.

Election modernization, the CEC emphasized, is an ongoing process.

“Before October 26, eight pilot elections utilizing electronic technologies were conducted, each followed by refinements and procedural improvements. Post-election, further adjustments were made based on comprehensive reviews. These steps are part of our continuous efforts to enhance the electoral environment, ensuring that future October 4 elections are even more transparent and robust.”

The CEC highlighted that “the Prosecutor’s Office has publicly confirmed that none of the allegations spread by interested parties regarding the October 26 elections have been substantiated. The Prosecutor’s Office has yet to produce any evidence to support these unfounded claims and is instead attempting to justify its baseless accusations through speculative interpretations of the CEC’s decisions. It appears that the primary aim of the interested parties is not to enhance the election process, but rather to create as much room as possible for speculation and manipulation.”

Finally, the commission stated that it remains committed to addressing any manipulative or false information that could mislead voters or international partners. The CEC is dedicated to providing the public with accurate, transparent information about the electoral process. In cases where potential risks for misinformation arise, the CEC will implement appropriate preventive measures to safeguard the integrity of our elections.