DUSHANBE , February 28, Asia-Plus - Parliamentary elections were held in Tajikistan a year ago, February 27 2005 .  

Muzaffar Olimov, director of the Research Center “Sharq”, commenting on this event said, “We cannot assess positively the result of work carried out by the parliament over the past year.”  “It has not yet become an authoritative public institution,” Mr. Olimov stressed, noting that Tajik parliamentarians have failed to clarify their position on this or that problem that could have positive effect on their image.  

Rajab Mirzo, head of the organization of the Democratic Party (DPT) for Dushanbe also editor of the independent Dushanbe weekly “Ruzi Nav”, has also expressed dissatisfaction with activity of Tajikistan’s parliament.  “ Tajikistan needs strong and transparent activity of its parliament,” said Rajab Mirzo, “Parliamentarians do not use the right of legislative initiative and their legislative powers properly.”  “During the election campaign many of them were promising to resolve many social problems but when they were elected they forgot their promises.”  “Parliamentarian kept silence when prices of public utilities rose and have not responded to problems facing our migrant workers,” Rajab Mirzo noted.   

For his part, deputy of the Majlisi Namoyandagon ( Tajikistan ’s lower chamber of parliament) Yusuf Akhmedov positively assessed the results of work carried out by the Tajik parliament over the past year.   “Of the deputies of the lower house, only 17 have enough experience of practical work, while the others are working only for a year,” said Akhmedov, “Moreover, one year is not enough period for achieving any good results.  How ever, I think we did a lot during this year.”  Mr. Akhmedov also admitted that indeed, in some cases parliamentarians did not express their opinion on that or this event.