DUSHANBE, March 19, Asia-Plus — Preparations for the presidential elections that will take place in November 2013 were the focus of a meeting of the Political Council of the National Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (NSDP) that was held in Dushanbe on March 18, NSDP leader Rahmatillo Zoirov told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon.
According to him, it is inexpedient to hold presidential election without making cardinal amendments to the country’s election legislation.
“We have repeatedly pointed to the necessity of representation of all political parties on the electoral commissions at all levels, participation of self-propelled candidates in presidential elections and laying legal foundation for creation of blocs among political parties for nomination of a single candidate,” said Zoirov. “However, all our proposals have been ignored.”
It is also necessary to create mechanisms of judicial control over consideration of applications and complaints coming to the electoral commissions during elections, he noted.
“The meeting also discussed the current social and political situation in the country and came to a conclusion that it remains extremely unsatisfactory because of incompetence of the government,” NSDP leader added.
According to him, the NSDP Political Council also considered a minute of the government meeting, which allegedly discussed issues related to increasing surveillance of local religious groups and members of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan. “We cannot stand aside because such measures may by introduced by the government against any of political parties functioning in the country,” NSDP leader stressed.
The National Social-Democratic Party was originally registered as the Party of Justice and Development in 1999. Tajikistan”s Ministry of Justice requested that same year that the Supreme Court ban the party”s activities and its registration was canceled. The party re-emerged and was registered under the name of the Social-Democratic Party in late 2002. The party was renamed the National Social-Democratic Party on December 4, 2011.
Chairman of the Nationals Social-Democratic Party is Rahmatillo Zoirov and the party reportedly has 7,700 members.
