DUSHANBE, March 17, 2015, Asia-Plus – The first sitting of the newly elected Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament) opened today.
Representatives of international and independent media outlets are not attending the first sitting of the lower parliament house for the first time in twenty years.
Muhammadato Sultonov, a spokesman for the Majlisi Namoyandagon, says the decision not to invite representatives of international and independent media was made by President’s Executive Office. Even the number of state-run media outlets to attend the session is limited, he noted.
Nouriddin Qarshiboyev, the head of the National Association of Independent Media of Tajikistan (Nansmit), says this decision restricts the right of equal access to information. “This is a bad sign for freedom of media in the country,” Tajik media watchdog head added.
Tajik political scientist Parviz Mullojonov notes that it is difficult to explain such a decision. “I can only say that this decision will have a negative impact on the country’s image,” Mullojonov said.
President Emomali Rahmon is expected to address the session to give his view on the March1 parliamentary elections.
The president convokes the first session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon during a month after its election.
The first session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon is opened by the eldest deputy; he/she conducts the session until the chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon is elected.
During the first session, the chairperson of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, deputy chairpersons and heads of the Majlisi Namoyandagon permanent committees and commissions will be elections.
According to the final parliamentary election results, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) received 65.4 percent of the votes cast in the March 1 elections (according to the preliminary results, 65.2 percent), the Agrarian Party (APT) – 11.7 percent (11.8 percent), the Party of Economic Reforms (PER) – 7.5 percent (7.6 percent), and the Socialist Party (SPT) – 5.5 percent (5.5 percent).
Thus, 16 PDP members, 3 APT members, 2 PER members and 1 SPT member came to the Majlisi Namoyandagon from party lists.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party (CPT), the Islamic Revival Party (IRP), the Democratic Party (DPT) and the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) failed to clear the 5 percent threshold needed to win parliamentary seats.
The CPT reportedly garnered only 2.2 percent in the March 1 vote (according to the preliminary results, 2.3 percent), the IRP – 1.6 percent (1.5 percent), the DPT – 1.7 percent (1.7 percent), and the SDP – 0.5 percent (0.5 percent).
In all, 103 candidates competed for 22 seats in the 63-seat lower parliament house from party lists.
Besides, 182 candidates competed for 41 seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon in single-mandate constituencies.
The PDP, led by President Emomali Rahmon, won elections in 35 single-mandate constituencies the APT and the CPT in 2 single-mandate constituencies each, and the PER and the DPT in one single-mandate constituency each.
Tajikistan’s Parliament (Majlisi Oli) has two chambers: the Assembly of Representatives (Majlisi Namoyandagon) and the National Assembly (Majlisi Milli). Majlisi Namoyandagon has 63 members, elected for a five-year term in, 22 by proportional representation (party list) and 41 in single-seat constituencies.
