Realities that have been established in Tajikistan over the past decade are such that the results of any elections in the country depend on figures provided by the authorities rather than on electorate, Tajik expert Shokirjon Hakimov, who is the deputy head of the Social-Democratic Party of Tajikistan (SDPT), told Asia-Plus in an interview.
He is convinced that the results of the parliamentary elections, which were held in Tajikistan in March 2015, “have been determined in government offices but not in polling stations.”
“However, the SDPT hopes that the upcoming parliamentary elections that will take place in the country in early spring next year will go according to a different scenario, and the authorities will listen to the people and understand that all political parties of Tajikistan want the same thing — the prosperity of the motherland and ensuring a decent life for the people,” Hakimov said.
Asked whether the SDPT will participate in the parliamentary elections he said that that issue would be discussed at the SDPT Political Council.
“In my personal opinion, the SDPT must participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections,” Hakimov added.
Founded in 2002, the Social-Democratic Party was registered on December 20, 2002. It was originally registered as the Party of Justice and Development on February 5, 1999. Tajikistan's Ministry of Justice requested the 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. Chairman of the Social-Democratic Party is Rahmatillo Zoyirov and the party reportedly has 7,700 members.
