DUSHANBE, November 1, 2011, Asia-Plus — A group of members of the Bundestag (Germany’s lower house of parliament), led by Ms. Angelika Graf, member of the Bundestag and deputy spokeswoman on human rights and humanitarian aid for the Social Democratic group in the Bundestag, is arriving in Dushanbe today on a five-day visit, the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) press center reports.
Today, the German parliamentary delegation is holding talks with the Majlisi Namoyandagon committee chairpersons Mahmadali Vatanov, Marhabo Jabborova, Olim Salimzoda and Azizmat Imomov.
Development of inter-parliamentary relations, observance of human rights and freedoms as well as the current situation in Central Asia and Afghanistan are the focus of discussions.
German parliamentarians are also expected to meet with representatives of Tajikistan’s organs of government, civil society and political parties, the source added.
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier Reichstag. Half of the members of the Bundestag are elected directly from 299 constituencies (first-past-the-post system), the other half are elected from the parties’ Land lists in such a way as to achieve proportional representation for the total Bundestag (if possible).
