Pre-election campaigning on TV and radio.

1. Candidates and political parties that have nominated lists of candidates shall have the right to free airtime on the channels of TV and radio organizations that are subject to paragraph 18 of Article 22 of this constitutional Law and which broadcast on the territory where elections are held. The indicated airtime shall be during the period when the TV and radio programs gather the largest audience i.e. from 8 PM to 12 PM.

2. The total amount of free airtime, allocated by the state TV and radio organization for campaigning during the elections of the President and the deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, must be at least one hour on working days. The said free airtime shall be distributed on an equal basis between the registered candidates and political parties that nominated lists of candidates who appeared at the broadcast.

3. At least one half of the total amount of free airtime shall be given to candidates and political parties that have nominated lists of candidates, exclusively for joint debates and other similar campaigning activities. All candidates and political parties must be allowed to use this share of free airtime on an equal basis.

Registered candidates, including candidates from the registered list of political parties, should participate only in person in joint campaigning events (debates and other similar events) on the channels of TV and radio organizations broadcasting on the entire territory of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Representatives and support groups of a registered candidate or a political party shall not be allowed to participate in such events.

In the event that one refuses to participate or do not come to a joint campaigning event, airtime at another time shall not be available.

4. The TV and radio companies subject to paragraph 18 of Article 22 of this constitutional Law, taking into account the level of elections, shall be obliged to reserve paid broadcast time for campaigning by the candidates and political parties. The said time shall be provided on the basis of a paid contract to the respective candidate or a political party at their request. The total amount of reserved paid airtime shall not be less than the total amount of free airtime, as well as the fee shall be for all candidates and political parties the same. However, each candidate or a political party shall have the right to get the airtime from the total amount of reserved airtime within the limits of the share received by dividing this amount by the total number of candidates or political parties.

The cost of paid airtime allocated to candidates or a political party, may not exceed the cost that was charged 6 months before the date of calling the elections.

5. Interrupting candidates or representatives of political parties or giving any comments shall be prohibited.

6. Regulation of the procedure for allocating airtime to candidates or political parties on the channels of TV and radio companies covered by paragraph 19, Article 22 of this constitutional Law shall be prescribed by the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic.

7. Regardless of their form of ownership, TV and radio companies, which provided airtime to candidates or political parties, shall be obliged to provide the other candidates or political parties with airtime on the same conditions (equal price, time for broadcasting, volume of time and other conditions).

8. The procedure, volume and time of radio and TV programs, intended for election campaigning, shall be established by election commissions upon agreement with the management of TV and radio companies and shall be distributed with respect to the principle of equality between candidates or political parties.

9. Not later than 3 calendar days before the day of drawing the lots the Central Election Commission shall inform the registered candidates and political parties that have nominated the lists of candidates about the date, time and place of the drawing of lots and shall register the applications received from them to participate in the drawing of lots in order to get free airtime and print space.

The drawing of lots, which determines the date and time of free airing of pre-election campaigning materials of registered candidates or political parties as well as joint campaigning activities on channels of state TV and radio companies, shall is held by the Central Election Commission with the participation of representatives of the respective TV and radio companies. The drawing of lots shall be held upon completion of registration of candidates, but not later than 35 calendar days before the day of voting, and in case of repeated voting - not later than one day after the day of scheduling the repeated voting. The results of the drawing of lots are reflected in the minutes. The schedule of airtime distribution determined by drawing of lots shall be approved by decision of the election commission and shall be published in state periodicals accordingly.

The procedure for organizing and holding debates shall be approved by the Central Election Commission.

10. TV and radio companies and editorial offices of periodicals (regardless of their forms of ownership) which provided airtime or print space to registered candidates and political parties which nominated registered candidates, shall be obliged to keep separate records of their volume and cost in accordance with the forms and procedures of such records established by the Central Election Commission. The data of this record every 10 days during the pre-election campaign and within 10 days after the voting day shall be submitted to the Central Election Commission.

(In the version of the constitutional Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No 116 dated August 8, 2019)