DUSHANBE, March 31, Asia-Plus -- The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has rejected a formal application submitted by the Vahdat (Union) Party for registration with the ministry again, Asia-Plus has learned from Davlat Sulaymonov, the head of the MoJ department for registration of political parties and public associations.  

According to him, the ministry has rejected the application because Vahdat’s rules do not meet with certain requirements of the country’s law on political parties.  “They party may apply to the ministry again after removing all shortcomings,” the MoJ official said.  

As it had been reported earlier, it is the sixth time the party sought formal registration with the MoJ.  The previous five registration applications have also rejected as failing to meet with certain unspecified legal requirements.

Hikmatullo Saidov, the leader of the Vahdat Party, claims to have some 3,000 supporters in nearly all of the country’s regions.

            We recall that eight political parties now officially function in Tajikistan: the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDPT); the Communist Party (CPT); the Islamic Revival Party (IRPT); the Social-Democratic Party (SDPT); the Democratic Party (DPT); the Socialist Party (SPT); the Agrarian Party (APT);  the Party of Economic Reforms.