DUSHANBE, January 7, 2015, Asia-Plus — More than half of candidates included in the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT) list for participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections have refused to participate in the elections for financial reasons, CPT leader Shodi Shabdolov told Asia-Plus in an interview.
“Only seven of those included in the party could pay an electoral fee required from each candidate running in the parliamentary elections,” Shabdolov said.
The following persons remained on the CPT list: 1) Shodi Shabdolov, Chairman of the CPT; 2) Ismoil Talbakov, Secretary of the CPT; 3) Mubinjon Mahmoudov, Head of the CPT’s Organization for Sughd Province; 4) Mirzonajot Nabotov, Head the CPT’s Organization in the Mastchoh District (Sughd); 5) Zaragul Mirasanova, Secretary of the CPT Central Committee; 6) A. Khabirov, Deputy Director Engineer-in-Chief, Barqi Tojik; and 7) Mahmadali Odinayev, Director of the Poultry Plant in the Fayzobod District.
We will recall that Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) on February 25 this year passed the law requiring amendments to the country’s law “On Elections to the Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan.”
The law, in particular, provides for reducing the electoral deposit required from each candidate from 8,000 somoni to 4,000 somoni.
The Communist Party has proposed to abolish an electoral deposit because it prevents many prospective candidates from running in the parliamentary elections.
Tajikistan’s Parliament (Majlisi Oli) has two chambers: the Assembly of Representatives (Majlisi Namoyandagon) and the National Assembly (Majlisi Milli). Majlisi Namoyandagon has 63 members, elected for a five-year term in, 22 by proportional representation and 41 in single-seat constituencies. Majlisi Milli has 33 members, 25 elected for a five-year term by local legislature (majlis) members and eight appointed by the president.
