TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 30. The referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan was recognized as valid, since more than half of the country's citizens included in the voter lists had voted at the polling stations by 13:00 local time, Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Committee (CEC) Bakhrom Kuchkarov told reporters, Trend reports from the scene.
"As of 13:00, the number of those who voted reached 12,083,105, which is 62.24 percent of the number of citizens included in the lists. These figures mean that the CEC has grounds to recognize the referendum as valid," Kuchkarov said at a briefing.
Early voting took place from April 19 through April 26. More than 611,000 citizens of Uzbekistan voted early in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution.
Amendments to the Constitution are aimed at strengthening the functions of Parliament to appoint the heads of supervisory and law enforcement agencies, while part of the powers of the president is transferred to the supreme legislative body. In addition, it is proposed to increase the term of the presidency from 5 to 7 years.
Judges of the Constitutional Court are proposed to be elected for a ten-year term. The Constitutional Court elects for a five-year term from among its members the Chairman of the Constitutional Court and his deputy.
A large package of amendments to the Basic Law is aimed at further liberalizing the country's economy.
