DUSHANBE, December 16, 2013, Asia-Plus – Tajik lawmakers have approved a new government without discussion.
An extraordinary joint session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) and the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament), presided over by the Majlisi Namoyandagon speaker, Shukurjon Zuhurov, took place in Dushanbe today.
President’s decrees introducing staff changes were a major topic of the meeting. State Advisor to the President for Legal Policy Jumakhon Davlatov, who is also President’s Representative to Parliament, read out president’s decrees on appointment of prime minister, first deputy prime minister, deputy prime ministers, ministers and heads of state committees and Tajik lawmakers approved the new government without discussion.
We will recall that the reshaped government members include prime minister, first deputy prime minister, three deputy prime ministers, 14 ministers and three state committee heads – totaling 22 persons.
60 percent of cabinet members were reportedly replaced. Current average age of cabinet members is 52 years, while average age of members of the previous cabinet was 56 years and seven months.
Three members of the new cabinet have scientific degrees of doctors of sciences and seven members of the new cabinet have scientific decrees of candidate of sciences (in the previous cabinet, there were 7 candidate of sciences and one doctor of sciences). Besides, 2 of 22 members of the reshaped cabinet are women (in the previous cabinet, there was only one woman).
President Rahmon also ordered several ministries and state agencies to merge or reorganize their responsibilities.
Under Article 55 of Tajikistan’s Constitution, the Majlisi Milli and the Majlisi Namoyandagon hold joint meetings in the following events: in the event of taking up by the President of office swear and oath, his resignation, and listening to the submission of the President; speeches of the heads of foreign States; the confirmation of edicts of the President concerning military and extraordinary situations; the giving of consent to the use of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan beyond the bounds of Tajikistan for carrying out international obligations of Tajikistan; the confirmation of edicts of the President concerning the appointment and relieving of the Prime Minister and other members of the Government; the consideration of the submission of the President on the principal orientations of internal and foreign policy of the Republic; the fixing of the salary of the President; the designation of elections of the President; and the consideration of the issue of inviolability of the President.
