DUSHANBE, March 26, Asia-Plus – No international observer has been accredited at the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER) so far to monitor by-elections that will be held on April 1 to fill three vacant seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament).
Muhibullo Dodojonov, a spokesman for the CCER, said in an interview with Asia-Plus that under the country’s legislation, observers should be accredited at the commission 10 days before the by-elections. “However, international organizations active in the country began to apply to us for accreditation only today,” said Dodojonov, “This is at least disrespect for Tajikistan’s legislation on their part.” According to him, the CCER head Mirzoali Boltuyev will make a decision on accreditation of international organizations.
In the meantime, preparations for by-elections are in full swing. Candidates for vacant seats are currently holding the last meetings with voters.
The CCER spokesman said that they have not received any official complaints about work of electoral commissions so far. Dodojonov noted that the country’s budget had provided more than 30,000 somonis (equivalent to nearly US$9,000) for holding the by-elections.
As it had been reported earlier, representatives of two political parties – ruling People’s Democratic Party and Islamic Revival Party – will compete for three vacant seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon. The CCER has registered six candidates for April 1 parliamentary by-elections that will be held in Firdavsi (Dushanbe), Hamadoni and Kulob constituencies.
We will recall that Mahmadali Vatanov, deputy chairman of the Supreme Court, nominated by ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDPT) will compete with Umarali Hisaynov, nominated by the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) in the Firdavsi constituency.
In the Hamadoni constituency, the PDPT candidate Safarali Gulov, chairman of the Hamadoni district, will compete with the IRPT candidate Abdulqodir Hasanpour, who is the head of the IRPT organization for Hamadoni.
In the Kulob constituency, former interior ministry Khumdin Sharipov, nominated by the PDPT, will compete for the vacant seat in parliament with the IRPT candidate Saidibrohim Nazar.
Dodojonov added that by-elections to fill two other vacant seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon will be held in the Abdurahmon Jomi and Yovon constituencies on May 20. Jurakhon Kabirov, who represented the Abdurahmon Jomi constituency in the parliament, was appointed deputy chief of the anticorruption agency and Tojinisso Mahmadova, who represented the Yovon constituency in the Majlisi Namoyandagon, was appointed deputy governor of the Khatlon province.
