DUSHANBE, September 8, Asia-Plus -- The Party of Economic Reforms (PER) hopes to create its faction in the next lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament.

“Our party will hold a plenum in November to determine candidates for participation in the parliamentary elections that will take place in Tajikistan in February next year,” PER leader Olimjon Boboyev told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him the Party of Economic Reforms is currently working out its election program that will be based on a reform on the country’s economy.

The Party of Economic Reforms was established by Doctor of Sciences in Economic Olimjon Boboyev in autumn 2005.  From the start, there have been strong allegations that the PER is a so-called “pocket party” loyal to the government and it was set up to create the idea of a multiparty-system and to distract the neutral and moderately-opposing voters from the real opposition.  The problem-free registration of the party at the Ministry of Justice has justified these allegations, especially since most opposition parties face mounting problems over registration.  Also, since its start, the PER has refused to participate in the opposition Coalition for Free and Fair Elections.

According to some sources, the PER now has some 20,000 members.  In 2010, the APT won two seats in the Majlisi Namoyandagon.

The PER has no clear ideology, but advocates for a genuine reform of the structure of the Tajik economy.  The PER notes that such a reform is needed in order to support the growth of the economy, most noticeably in the manufacturing of finished products.