DUSHANBE, April 27, 2011, Asia-Plus — In an opinion of Communist Party (CPT) leader Shodi Shabdolov, who is also member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), Tajik voters have become more active as compared with the previous meetings.
“During the meetings with parliamentarians, they have raised topical issues related to social and economic development of the country,” Shabdolov told Asia-Plus in an interview.
Over the past several days, he has held a number of meetings with voters in the northern Sughd province and according to him, the main issues the voters brought to his attention were reduction of social and land taxes, regular power supplies, improvement of knowledge given in schools, and increase in wages.
CPT leader says Sughd farmers offer the government and parliamentarians to seriously think over merger of small cotton producing farms into large agricultural associations. “Dekhkan (peasant) farms that have only two or three hectares of lands, for example, cannot afford to purchase modern agricultural machines and pesticides for treatment of their lands,” Shabdolov noted.
He also noted that Uzbek authorities’ decision to close border and artificial obstacles on the way of movement of people, commodities and serviced were fueling social tension in the province. “Compared to the previous years, heightened social tension could be felt in northern Tajikistan,” Shabdolov said.
