Tajikistan schedules constitutional referendum for May 22
MOSCOW. Feb 10 (Interfax) - A nationwide referendum on constitutional amendments, which will allow incumbent Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his son, Rustam Emomali, to participate in the presidential elections in 2020, will be held on May 22, 2016.
The decision was unanimously made by deputies of the Tajik parliament's lower chamber on Wednesday.
There will be one question put to the referendum: "Do you support the amendments and additions to the constitution of the country?" parliament speaker Shukurjon Zuhurov said.
The Tajik constitution was adopted by a nationwide referendum on November 6, 1994, during a civil war in the country. The constitution was amended in 1999 and 2003. The 2003 amendments allowed Rahmon to remain in power for two more seven-year terms, until 2020.
On January 22, the Tajik parliament discussed and submitted to the Constitutional Court its proposals on new amendments and additions to the constitution.
The amendments were drafted by members of both parliament chambers and consisted of 41 items. For instance, deputies proposed that the following provision be added to part 5, article 65: "The limitations imposed by part 4 of this article shall not apply to the founder of peace and national unity - leader of the nation. The legal status and powers of the founder of peace and national unity - leader of the nation shall be determined by constitutional law."
Emomali Rahmon, who has led Tajikistan since 1992, cannot run for presidency in the 2020 election under the current Tajik constitution. If the proposed amendments are adopted, he will be able to run for presidency with no restrictions.
Draft constitutional amendments also provide for lowering the minimum age for presidential candidates by five years, from 35 to 30 years. Thus, Rustam Emomali, elder son of Emomali Rahmon, will be able to run for presidency at the 2020 presidential election.
The amendments establish a single age qualification of 30 years (with mandatory higher education) for candidates for both chambers of the parliament and judges of the Constitutional, Supreme and Economic Courts. The amendments abolish the Council of Justice, and say that, from now on, the sole title of the fundamental law will be the constitution. The amendments impose a ban on the creation of religious and nationalist political parties and associations.
Last Thursday, the Tajik Constitutional Court approved the parliament's proposal on amendments and additions to the constitution.