Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 28
By Demir Azizov – Trend:
Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan to the UN has disseminated analytical information on inter-party competition and pluralism of opinions in anticipation of the presidential election in the republic as an official document of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, the press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said in a message.
The legislation of Uzbekistan is building a party system that serves as a means for citizens’ interests to be conveyed at the national policy level, reads the document.
“The Constitution of Uzbekistan and the Public Associations Act, the Political Parties Act, the Political Parties (Financing) Act and a number of other legislative instruments adopted under the Constitution have laid a solid legal foundation for the establishment and free development of parties and public associations that express the interests of diverse sectors of the population,” the document said.
“The adoption of the act on strengthening the role of political parties in the renewal and further democratization of state governance and the modernization of the country was of fundamental importance,” the document noted. “This clearly defines the status of the parliamentary opposition and safeguards its activities.”
“The procedural and institutional framework for parties to engage in political and electoral processes has been gradually and consistently developed,” reads the document. “Pursuant to the 2003 and 2008 amendments and additions to the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act, the Suffrages Guarantees Act, the Uzbek Parliament Elections Act and the Act on Elections to Regional, District and Municipal Councils, the head of state, parliamentary deputies and representatives of local government are elected exclusively on a multiparty basis.”
Amendments were made to the constitution whereby the prime minister of Uzbekistan is nominated by the political party that wins the largest number of seats in the Legislative Chamber from the election, according to the document.
When a candidacy is being considered and approved in the Uzbek parliament, crucially, the candidate for the position of prime minister must submit a short- and long-term program of action for the Cabinet of Ministers. This allows the political parties represented in the Legislative Chamber to clearly set out their positions on the government’s program for achieving national development milestones, and to determine the program of action for their participation, according to the document.
These and other amendments to the Uzbek constitution have created genuine conditions for an inter-party contest, a competition of ideas and programs, and the development of the multiparty system as a whole, said the document.
Uzbekistan is to hold an early presidential election December 4 due to the death of ex-president Islam Karimov, who passed away after suffering a stroke at the age of 79 on Sept. 2.
Candidates from four political parties of Uzbekistan participate in the presidential election - Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP), People's Democratic Party (PDPU), Milly Tiklanish (National Revival) Party, and Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party.
Among the presidential candidates are the country’s Acting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev from UzLiDeP, Sarvar Otamuratov from Milly Tiklanish Party, Nariman Umarov from Adolat Party, and Hotamzhon Ketmonov from PDPU.