Voters of Tajikistan supported the draft of amendments to the Constitution.

On the 26-th of September the Referendum on draft of amendments to the Constitution of RT was held in Tajikistan. According to the Constitutional Law of RT "On Referendum" the Central Commission for elections and referendum should have announced the final results of the Referendum within ten after the day of voting.

However, already at noon of the 26-th September the chairman of the Central Commission for elections and referendum of RT, Mirzoali Boltyev declared to journalists that the referendum had actually taken place. According to him, on September 26 by 12-00 58% of voters already gave their votes.

In total 2mln 800 thousand of voters had right to vote. The draft of amendments to the Constitution of RT has been adopted as more than a half of voters attended the polling stations the majority of which voted for its adoption. This, all the requirements of the low on referendum have been observed.

The political parties and movements of RT long before the referendum determined their attitude to the draft of amendments. Thus, the People’s Democratic Party spoke for its adoption. The Islamic Revival party also supported the draft although did not agree with most of its issues. The leader of IRP Said Abdullo Nuri stated that his party supported the amendments for the sake of harmony and accord in the country. The parties and movements forming the Consultative Council (Communist and Democratic parties, party of Justice, as well as the Congress of Unity of people of Tajikistan) opposed the amendments and additions to the Constitution. The voting procedure passed without any significant incidents. The International Organizations did not comment on the issue of the suggested amendments to the Constitution, either. However, from comments, made by the competent staff of the OSCE, UNMOT, one can make a conclusion that International organizations consider this event as one internal affair of the republic. Unfortunately, the political parties of Tajikistan did not perform proper initiative in monitoring the voting procedure. Observers from the political parties of RT, including those who criticized the draft of amendments did not attend the polling stations. Among other shortcomings, one might underline the low level of awareness of population on the suggested for voting issues, as it was stated by many politicians and public figures of the Republic. It looks like that mass media of Tajikistan, especially radio and TV, did not pay proper attention to this event. Also, it is worth underlining the passive involvement of the Central Commission for elections and referendum of RT, which practically did not pay on issues of agitation for participation of electors in voting. It won’t be exaggerated to say that the majority citizens did not know the correct procedure of filling in the bulletins.

The actual outcome of the Referendum is of major significance for Tajikistan. The Islamic Party obtained the constitutional recognition of the legitimacy of its activity. The President of RT, from now on, will be elected for seven years term. As a result of changes of power, the executive branch was strengthened at the expense of legislative and judiciary branches. A bicameral parliament will be formed in the country. But, only the lower chamber of the Majlisi Namoyandagon will act on permanent and professional basis. The upper chamber will work on a convocational basic that will certainly limit the speed and operational activity of the legislative process in RT.

Currently, it is difficult to foresee all the possible political consequences of the constitutional Reform held by the authorities of RT. Nevertheless, the positive outcome of the Referendum has created conditions for further development, of the peace process in RT. The Presidential elections have already been started and there is reason to presume that the Parliamentary elections in Tajikistan will be held within the terms defined by the Constitution and laws/ The final data for the R-m was published be the Central commission for election on the 2d of October.

2,591,905 voters – 91.5% of total number of voters of the country (2,800,947) took part in the national referendum on September 26 on amendments in Constitution of RT. Press center of Central Election Commission informed that 1,860,804 citizens voted in support of the amendments – 71.8% of total number of voters who took part in the referendum. 609,787 voters were against (23.6%). CEC recognized 121,314 bulletins invalid. Based on Article 31 of Constitutional Law of RT On Referendum in RT, the draft of changes and additions in the Constitution shall be considered adopted, because more than half of voters who took part in the national referendum voted in support of the draft.