DUSHANBE, December 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Party of Economic Reforms of Tajikistan that is temporarily left without leader is making active preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections due in February 2010, the party deputy leader Rustam Nazarov remarked at a roundtable, organized by the Journalist Community Organization in Dushanbe on December 3.

According to him, the former party leader Olimjon Boboyev was appointed Minister of Transport and Communications in October this year, and therefore, he resigned.

Nazarov noted that the Party of Economic Reforms would convoke a pre-election congress in late December and the congress would also elect a new leader of the party.  “The congress will also elect candidates that will be put on the party list for participation in the elections,” he said.

We will recall that of 63 seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), 22 seats come from party lists.

Nazarov expressed confidence that the 2010 parliamentary elections will be transparent and democratic.  “Of course, every party hopes for victory, however, I think our program is the closest to people’s expectations,” he said, noting that the party’s program creates good conditions for development of small and medium sized enterprises in the country.  “Therefore, we hope to pass the 5% threshold in the countrywide constituency,” Nazarov said.

As of the end of 2008, the Party of Economic Reforms had 16,700 members, the party deputy leader noted.

The Party of Economic Reforms was registered with Ministry of Justice on November 9, 2009.  The party’s aims are to reduce poverty, conduct proper privatizations, and attract foreign investment.