BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz presidential candidate Kamchybek Tashiev has accused the frontrunner in the race of using official resources to aid his election campaign, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.
Tashiev said at a press conference in Bishkek on October 28 that Almazbek Atambaev, who stepped down as prime minister last month to run for president, was using his official ties to the government to help his campaign.
"The authorities are trying to use all sorts of dirty methods to turn the election result in [Atambaev's] favor," he said. "We all see how starting from the Central Election Commission, governors, district governors, and municipal chiefs are scaring teachers, doctors, students, ordinary people, and veterans; how they are intimidating them [to vote for Atambaev]."
Tashiev, 43, did not give any examples or offer any proof to support his charges. Several government officials in Kyrgyzstan have publically endorsed Atambaev, as others have said they support Tashiev and other candidates.
Tashiev said he has "no doubt" he will place among the top two finishers in the election on October 30 and advance to the second round of the election in the event that no candidate gets 50 percent of the vote in the first round.
Tashiev added that if loses the election and it has been held in a clean and fair manner he will recognize the results. But he said if there is obvious fraud and manipulation of the results "then there is going to be a big noise in the country."
Tashiev is the head of the Ata-Jurt party, which includes many members of the government that ruled during President Kurmanbek Bakiev's term in office, which ended when he was ousted in April 2010.
Atambaev's campaign staff has denied using any administrative resources since the election campaign began last month.
Atambaev did admit during his televised debate on October 27 that some people are trying to "butter him up" and are "overacting" in an attempt to show their support for him as the frontrunner.
"At the end of the day, everybody will go to vote for themselves, and [in the voting booth] they have to make a personal decision," he said.
Tashiev, Atambaev, and United Kyrgyzstan party leader Adakhan Madumarov are considered the three favorites in the election, in which 16 candidates are competing.
