DUSHANBE, February 10, 2015, Asia-Plus — The leader of the Party of Economic of Tajikistan (PER) Olimjon Boboyev says the party candidates have been nominated to run for election to the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) in 12 single-mandate constituencies.
We will recall that the PER has also included six candidates in its party list.
“Besides, 48 activists of the PER will compete for seats in the regional, city and district legislators (majlis),” Boboyev told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him the PER has printed 15,000 agitation posters and approximately 7,000 copies of its official newspaper
Eqtisod va Hayot
(Economics and Life) for the upcoming parliamentary election that will take place on March 1, 2015.
The Party of Economic Reforms was established by Doctor of Sciences in Economic Olimjon Boboyev in autumn 2005. From the start, there have been strong allegations that the PER is a so-called “pocket party” loyal to the government and it was set up to create the idea of a multiparty-system and to distract the neutral and moderately-opposing voters from the real opposition. The problem-free registration of the party at the Ministry of Justice has justified these allegations, especially since most opposition parties face mounting problems over registration. Also, since its start, the PER has refused to participate in the opposition Coalition for Free and Fair Elections.
According to some sources, the PER now has some 20,000 members. In 2010, the PER won two seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
Like the Agrarian Party of Tajikistan (ARP) that was also registered with Ministry of justice in November 2005, Party of Economic Reforms is seen as a “pocket party.”
The PER has no clear ideology, but advocates for a genuine reform of the structure of the Tajik economy. The PER notes that such a reform is needed in order to support the growth of the economy, most noticeably in the manufacturing of finished products.
