DUSHANBE, April 25, Asia-Plus — President Emomali Rahmon is addressing the seventh joint session of the Tajik parliament today.
The joint session of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) and the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) will also consider a number of president’s decrees ordering reshuffles in the government that were signed in January this year.
We will recall that the president introduced a number of staff changes at a January meeting reviewing the country’s economic results in 2007.
In the addresses, the head of state usually outlines priorities and main directions of domestic and foreign policy of the country and touches upon specifics of the year.
Thus in the last year’s address, the president focused on issues related to the order of observing national traditions, energy independence of the country, fight against corruption, etc.
On the energy situation, the president said that 4.5 billion somonis will go to implementing hydroelectricity projects in the country in the coming three year. 80 mini hydropower plants are expected to be built in remote mountain areas of the country over the report period, according to him.
The president also charged relevant bodies to take measures to attract private capital as well as capital of state-run companies in the construction of hydropower and thermal electric power stations in the country.
He also pointed to the necessity of enhancing the country’s education sector. Rahmon, in particular, harshly criticized a poor level of education at secondary schools.
On the human rights situation in the country, Rahmon noted that time has come to establish an independent institution of human rights in the country.
