Tashkent, Uzbekistan, July 3
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
The issues related to preparations for the election campaign for the upcoming election of MPs to Oliy Majlis (parliament) of Uzbekistan, regional, district and city councils were discussed during a workshop in Tashkent.
The workshop was attended by members of central and local election commissions, MPs of the parliament's legislative chamber, experts from the Independent Institute for Monitoring the Formation of Civil Society, Institute for Monitoring of Current Legislation, Academy of Public Administration, ministries, non-profit organizations and media representatives.
The parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan will be held on the first Sunday of the third week of December 2014, in accordance with the country's constitution.
During the workshop, the participants discussed the issues regarding communicating to the general public the essence and content of the latest amendments to the electoral legislationş
The participants also heard reports on monitoring the election process, the role of the election commissions and their tasks in the process of preparation and conducting the elections. They mainly focused on reviewing the activity of election commissions engaged in preparing and holding elections without interference of other government bodies.
The workshop participants stressed that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be held under completely new conditions of liberalization and democratization of the society, ensuring sustainable and stable development of the economy, the growth of the welfare and living standards of the population.
Following the 2009 parliamentary elections, Uzbekistan took measures to further liberalize and improve Uzbekistan's electoral law.
The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Uzbekistan approved a program on preparation and holding the parliamentary and local elections in May. The program envisages taking a package of measures to ensure the transparency and openness of the elections at all stages of the election campaign.
The bicameral parliament in Uzbekistan was created in 2005. The legislative chamber permanently employs 150 deputies elected in December 2009 from four political parties and the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan for a period of five years.
The upper house - the Senate employs 100 deputies elected in equal numbers - six deputies from the Karakalpakstan Republic, regions and from the city of Tashkent. In addition, 16 members of the Senate are appointed by the Uzbekistan president and are selected from the most distinguished citizens of the country.
Edited by CN