Uzbek parliament votes to hold referendum


Russian news agency Interfax
December 6

On 27 January Uzbekistan will hold a nationwide referendum to vote on the formation of a professional bicameral parliament.

The current parliament made the corresponding decision in Tashkent on Thursday.

There will be two questions on the ballot: "Do you agree that next time a bicameral parliament should be elected? Do you agree to changing the constitutional term of presidential powers from five to seven years?"

Speaker Erkin Khalilov spoke on the second question. He said that, if the term of presidency is prolonged, the head of state will be able to work more effectively. He added that the change should not be associated with incumbent Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The changes are meant to further improve the government system and expand democracy, he added.

Speaking in parliament, Karimov called the decision a new step forward in developing democracy. "The decision to set up a bicameral parliament did not appear suddenly, but has been discussed over the past year and a half. Conditions have appeared in the republic for the formation of a new bicameral parliament," he said. The lower house will operate on a professional basis and representatives of all regions will be elected to the upper chamber according to a certain quota, he explained. Karimov added that the upper house should be given some of the powers that have so far belonged to the president.

Uzbekistan currently has a unicameral parliament with 250 members.

Under the constitution, the president can be elected to no more than two consecutive five-year terms.