DUSHANBE, December 3, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Communists intend to raise the issue of participation of representatives of political parties in electoral commissions at a session of the Public Council that will take place here tomorrow, the Communist Party (CPT) leader Shodi Shabdolov said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“We place great hopes on the upcoming meeting with the president that will discuss issues related to preparations for the 2010 parliamentary elections,” said Shabdolov.

He hopes repeated statements by the president that the elections will be transparent and free will come true.

“We now have four seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) and there is hope that we will win more seats in the 2010 parliamentary elections that will allow us to create our faction within parliament,” the CPT leader noted.

Founded in 1918, the Communist Party of Tajikistan was registered with the Ministry of Justice on 1991.  The chairman of the Communist Party is Shodi Shabdolov.  The party reportedly now has some 60,000 members.

The Public Council of Tajikistan was established in April 1996 on the basis of the Public Accord Agreement signed first on March 9, 1996 for the period of three years by pro-government political parties and NGOs in a show of support for the peace process.  It was prolonged for further three years in 1999.

The Public Council now comprises representatives of state bodies, political parties, religious organizations and civil society.  Seven of eight officially registered political parties of the country are represented in the Public Council.  The Public Council established the Social partnership Club, which brings together some 70 representatives of the Public Council to discuss and find consensus on pressing social issues.