DUSHANBE, April 24, 2014, Asia-Plus — The Islamic Revival Party (IRP) leader Muhiddin Kabiri, who is also member of Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of the parliament, considers that some articles of the RT law “On Elections to the Majlisi Oli (Tajikistan’s Parliament)” contradict to the country’s Constitution.
A regular sitting of the fifth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over, by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, took place on April 24.
Speaking at the session, Mr. Muhiddin Kabiri noted that nearly 1.5 million of 4.022 million Tajik voters are working abroad.
By various estimates, 1 million to 2 million Tajiks leave the country every harvest season, mostly for Russia, to take jobs as seasonal laborers.
“Under the current legislation, Tajik nationals who did not live in the territory of Tajikistan over the past five years do have the right to be nominated as candidates. It is direct violation of the Constitution,” Mr. Kabiri noted.
IRP leader noted that the fact that local observers do not have access to copies of protocols of precinct election commissions (PECs) contradicts to the RT law “On the Political Parties of the Republic of Tajikistan.”
On the IRP proposal to reduce the electoral deposit for parliament candidates form current 4,000 somoni to 800 somoni, MP Kabiri noted that that initiative was dictated by the economic situation of the majority population of the country.
Meanwhile, Ms. Galiya Rabiyeva, who represents the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the parliament, noted that Tajik nationals, who have lived outside the country over the last five years, were are not aware of the essence of events taking place in the country and could not draw up the election program correctly.
As far as the access of 20,000 local observers to protocols of PECs is concerned, MP Rabiyeva said that it was impossible because it required much time and money.
Concerning representation of all political parties in precinct election commissions, M Rabiyeva noted that that proposal violated rights of small political parties that did not have their organizations in all regions of the country.
MP Shodi Shabdolov, who is also leader of the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT), supported draft amendments proposed by the IRP to the parliamentary election law.
We will recall that under the current election legislation candidates must have held residency in Tajikistan for at least five years; the IRP proposes to abolish this qualification.
The IRP also offers to extend the period of nomination of candidates from 45 to 60 days before the election day.
Political parties have the right to nominate their candidates to the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER). In line with legal provisions, members of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER) are appointed by the parliament on the proposal of the president. The IRP proposes that the president should take into consideration opinions of political parties when proposing candidates to the CCER.
The IRP also proposes to establish legal provision for political party representation in precinct election commissions (PECs) and obligate PECs to submit authenticated protocol copies to observers immediately after counting of votes.
The IRP proposes to reduce the electoral deposit for parliament candidates from current 4,000 somoni to 800 somoni.
The Majlisi Namoyandagon consists of 63 deputies, and currently, 22 of them are elected proportionally from political party lists in a single nationwide constituency with a 5 percent threshold for seat allocation and forty-one deputies are elected in single-mandate constituencies under a two-round majoritarian system.
