Representatives of OSCE studied preparation for the national referendum in RT
Information agency Asia-Plus (A-P Blitz No.164) reported on a visit to Dushanbe by a group of representatives of OSCE, consisting of head of mission of Germany in OSCE Rudolf Schmidt and director of OSCE center in Almaty Ulrich Schening. On August 30, they met with chairman of Majlisi Oli of RT Safarali Rajabov. Chief of OSCE mission in RT Marin Bukhoara took part in the meeting, at which special attention was paid to preparation for the national referendum. Safarali Rajabov informed representatives of the international organization of work of Central Election Commission on preparation for the elections and the referendum. In turn, the visitors expressed readiness to assist in conducting these important events.
Meeting of Consultative Council of political parties
The newspaper "Jumbish" (No. 16) informed of the meeting of Consultative Council of political parties of Tajikistan on August 26; members of the Council expressed concern that all statements and appeals of Consultative Council in regard of the draft of amendments in Constitution of the country are ignored by power structures of the Republic. Members of Consultative Council noted the need in making efforts on informing population on the draft of amendments in the Constitution.
Reader urges to vote against the draft
The newspaper "Jumbish" (No. 17) published an article of a reader of the newspaper, who urged to vote against the draft of amendments proposed for the Constitution. He asserts that the referendum of September 26 is illegal, because the draft was prepared secretly, without considering opinion of specialists. The article claimed that the referendum contradicts the Constitution and the General Agreement on Peace and National Reconciliation in Tajikistan. By opinion of the reader, the Majlisi Oli, or parliament through its decrees, usurped the power of people, and determined the date for the referendum with violation of the term set by the Constitution. He also believes that Majlisi Oli had to propose the draft of amendments in Constitution for national discussion. The proposed draft of changes in Constitution infringes on democratic and legal bases of the state, and article 28 of the draft especially affects the secular structure of the state.
Minister of Justice: Criticism of the referendum is not constructive
Minister of Justice of Republic of Tajikistan in his article in Biznes i Politika (No.36) wrote in particular that the changes and additions in the acting Constitution are very tmely, and that taking into account the low political culture of the population, it would be dangerous to increase tension in this issue, what some parties have netherless been doing through mass media. Shavkat Ismoilov believes that the criticism of the Majlisi Oli, which adopted the draft, accusing it of irersponsibility, cannot be ignored. By his opinion, the parliament was elected by the people, and the media accusing it, therefore are insulting the people. Shavkat Ismoilov also believes that the criticism is not constructive and does not have any legal basis.
Chairman of IRP regrets the low level of information of population
The newspaper Najot of Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan published an interview of the chairman of IRP, member of Commission for National Reconciliation Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda, in which he regrets that the debates in regard of the proposed changes and additions to the Constitution were closed off from wider discussion, and the Majlisi Oli and the referendum received only the final document. M.Himmatzoda said that many of the parties and movements that were not aware of the discussions are not satisfied with their outcome. By his opinion, it was very important to speed up the work, because otherwise the election campaign would be seriously complicated. He also regretted that the population is not widely informed about the proposals made for the referendum, because the press does not discuss this theme sufficiently. Certainly, the people know there will be a referendum, but do not know what they will vote for, concluded M.Himmatzoda.