DUSHANBE, October 13, 2009, Asia-Plus — Sayfullo Safarov, the deputy director of the Center for Strategic Studies, notes that may be administrative resources were used during the previous parliamentary elections in Tajikistan.
According to him, it cannot be ruled out that separate mistakes will be made by the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER) during the upcoming parliamentary elections due in February 2010 as well. “However, if political parties make preparations for the parliamentary elections at proper level carrying out necessary work among voters, they will win seats in the parliament without fail,” the senior expert from Tajik think tank noted.
He added that the Communists and the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) carried out good pre-election campaign in 2005, getting several seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) alongside the [ruling] People Democratic Party (PDPT). “The Social-Democrats, Agrarians and Socialists also had good chances but they had not carried out proper propaganda work among voters,” Mr. Safarov said.
The expert noted that if these parties work more actively with voters the during pre-election campaign, they will have chance to win seat in the future parliament.