DUSHANBE, June 9, 2011, Asia-Plus -- On Thursday June 9, Tajikistan’s upper house (Majlisi Milli) of parliament seconded the law requiring amendments to the country’s law on the standard and legal acts adopted in 2004.

Member of the Majlisi Milli academician Mamadsho Ilolov, who is also President of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, noted Russian now might be used in lawmaking in the country.

We will recall that a new law on official languages that removed Russia as “” language of interethnic communications” went into effect in Tajikistan in October 2009.  However, the law also notes that all minority ethnic groups in the country have the right to choose in which language they want their children to be educated.

The Majlisi Milli also seconded laws requiring amendments to the country’s laws on prosecutor’s offices, constitutional court, ombudsman institution, national security bodies, anticorruption agency and public service as well as to the country’s customs code.  Adopted by the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) on May 25, these amendments make knowing the state language compulsory for contenders for the mentioned public institutions.

“These requirements are a norm of the Constitution of Tajikistan, observance of which is compulsory in Tajikistan.  The country’s law on the state language states that all official papers in the country should be conducted in the state language,” Ilolov said.