The party activists definitely estimate the up-coming event in the socio-political life of Uzbekistan as an important stage in democratizing and modernizing the country and developing the civil society. The current president election of Uzbekistan mainly differs from previous ones. For the first time, all political parties fighting in the political space of the country are participating in the most important political event.
Commentators call the participation of a candidate from the initiative electorate group in the election much more remarkable thing. These regulations, fixed in the Constitution and laws of Uzbekistan “On guarantees of civil election rights” and “On President Election of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, provide citizens who do not separate positions of any political parties with an opportunity to participate directly in president election.
The UT has already informed that the “Fidokorlar” National-Democratic Party that nominated its first secretary, leader of parliamentarian faction Akhtam Tursunov for president election was the first political party to hold its congress. The national democrats were followed by “Milliy tiklanish” Democratic Party that hold a congress of its activists. The party staff has elected the chairman of its Central Board Khurshid Dosmuhamedov as a candidate from this party that unites basically representatives of creative and scientific circles.
“The members of our party, its activists take intensive civil position and participate in political processes. The “Milliy tiklanish” faction in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis makes weighty contribution to representation of our party members and voters’ interests. Participation in president election provides us with new opportunities to establish a political state. In addition, participation of our candidate in it will show the exactness of party’s program and level of satisfying our electorate’s requirements and needs”, said Ismatulla Muhammadiev, Head of “Milliy tiklanish” Democratic Party’s branch in Navoi region.
The “Adolat” Social-Democratic Party that nominated its leader and head of faction in the lower chamber of parliament Dilorom Toshmuhamedova was the first to confirm participation in the president election.
A UT correspondent asked First Secretary of the Council of “Adolat” SDP of Ferghana region Nariman Shadiev to comment on the role of the upcoming presidential elections in Uzbekistan and proposing a candidate to the elections:
“Presidential elections will certainly play a big role in the further democratization of the country, the increasing involvement of ordinary citizens in state affairs, since presidential elections would mean direct participation by people in state governance and determination of its future. This is the first time “Adolat” SDP is participating in presidential elections, and for us it also will, at the same time, be a big political lesson and test of our policy and strategy. The pre-election platform of our candidate is based on the purposes and tasks of our party, the construction of a legal civil society with a socially focused market economy being the primary one.
The oldest political party of the country, People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, has also put forward a candidate for presidency. Members of the party, participants of congress delegated this honorable and responsible mission to the former head of the party, the leader of the NDPU faction in the lower chamber of Oliy Majlis Asliddin Rustamov.
“Presidential elections which will take place in December this year will have a defining value for the development of the state in the following seven years and will become a parameter of society’s readiness for further democratic transformations. Participation of all political parties and the candidate from the voters’ initiative group make the forthcoming elections a rather indicative event in the life of the state - for the first time in Uzbekistan such a wide spectrum of political forces is being represented in the presidential elections”, said Abdurashid Ubaydullaev, chairman of NDPU in Namangan area.
Putting forward their candidate, NDPU intends not to depart from the traditional party principles, and A. Rustamov campaigns on a platform of boosting economy with a strong social orientation.
The last in a turn of party conventions was the forum of the Movement of Businessmen and Entrepreneurs of Liberal-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan. Participants of the convention proposed the current president of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov as a candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections.
“Within a short time of its existence UzLiDeP has become a true “spokesman” of interests and a political force consolidating the movement of businessmen, entrepreneurs and farmers who are serving as an engine of economic market reforms, democratic modernization of the country. Participation in presidential elections enables a party to strengthen the efficiency of measures it offers on the consolidation of the national economy and increase of people’s living standards”, stated Hasan Mamasaidov, a member of the party of businessmen and entrepreneurs, and a participant of the party convention.
Yesterday a session of the voters’ initiative group was held in Tashkent. The said group has also nominated a presidential candidate – the Chairman of the Committee of the Legislative chamber of Oliy Majlis on Democratic Institutions, Nongovernmental Organizations and Citizens’ Self-governing Institutions, Akmal Saidov.
Nomination of candidates for presidency by political parties and the voters’ initiative group has raised the election campaign on a new stage. Once registration by the CEC of presidential candidates is complete, a new stage of the election campaign will be launched.
By Shahruh Nuriev
