GOVERNMENT
The Republic
of Tajikistan gained its independence during the breakup of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) on September 9,
1991 and promptly fell into a civil war from 1992-97 between old-guard
regionally based ruling elites and disenfranchised regions, democratic
liberal reformists, and Islamists loosely organized in a United
Tajik Opposition (UTO). Other combatants and armed bands that
flourished in this civil chaos simply reflected the breakdown
of central authority rather than loyalty to a political faction.
The height of hostilities occurred between 1992-93. By 1997, the
predominantly Kulyabi-led Tajik Government and the UTO successfully
negotiated a powersharing peace accord and implemented it by 2000.
The last Russian border guards protecting Tajikistan's 1,400 km border with Afghanistan completed their withdrawal in July 2005. Russia maintains its military presence in Tajikistan with the basing of the Russian 201st Motorized Rifle Division that never left Tajikistan when it became independent. Most of these Russian-led forces, however, are local Tajik noncommissioned officers and soldiers.
Tajikistan's most recent presidential election in 2006 and its 2005 parliamentary elections were considered to be flawed and unfair but peaceful. While the government and the now-incorporated former opposition continue to distrust each other, they have often found a way to work with each other and are committed to peacefully resolving their differences. In June 2003, Tajikistan held a flawed referendum to enact a package of constitutional changes, including a provision to allow President Rahmonov the possibility of re-election to up to two additional 7-year terms after his term expired in 2006. The February 2005 parliamentary elections, in which the ruling party secured 49 of the 63 seats, failed to meet many key Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards on democratic elections, but there were some improvements over previous elections.
After the November 6, 2006 presidential election in which President Rahmonov secured a new 7-year term in office, the OSCE determined that democratic practices were not fully tested "due to the absence of genuine competition, which provided voters with only nominal choice." There were four other candidates on the ballot but no strong opposition candidate. The strongest opposition party, the IRPT, decided not to field a candidate and two other parties (the DPT and SDPT) boycotted the election.
Lack of transparency in the legislative process and significant concerns regarding due process demonstrate the weakness of civil society in the country. Corruption is pervasive, and numerous observers have noted that power has been consolidated into the hands of a relatively small number of individuals.
Afghanistan continues to represent the primary security concern in Tajikistan's immediate neighborhood, although much less so than in earlier years. With the ouster of the former Taliban government from Afghanistan, Tajikistan now has much friendlier relations with its neighbor to the south. The Taliban-allied Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a U.S. Government-declared terrorist organization formerly active in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, has also been greatly diminished as a threat to Tajikistan's domestic stability. Rampant illicit trafficking of Afghan opium and heroin through Tajikistan remains a serious long-term threat to Tajikistan's stability and development, fostering corruption, violent crime, HIV/AIDS, and economic distortions.
Principal
Government Officials
President--Emomali Rahmon
Prime Minister--Oqil Oqilov
Foreign Minister--Khamrokhon Zarifi
Ambassador to the United States--Abdujabbor Shirinov
Permanent Representative to the United Nations--Sirojiddin Aslov
Tajikistan
maintains an embassy in the
United States at 1005 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037
(tel.: 202-233-6090; fax: 202-223-6091).
Type:
Republic.
Independence: September 9, 1991 (from Soviet
Union).
Constitution: November 6, 1994.
Branches: Executive--chief of state: President
Emomali RAHMONOV since November 6, 1994; head of state and Supreme
Assembly chairman since November 19, 1992; head of government:
Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV since January 20, 1999. Cabinet: Council
of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Supreme
Assembly. Elections: president elected by popular
vote for a 7-year term; election last held November 6, 1999 (next
to be held in 2006); prime minister appointed by the president.
Election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president;
percent of vote: Emomali RAHMONOV 96%, Davlat USMONOV 4%. Legislative--bicameral
Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives
or Majlisi Namoyanandagon (lower chamber; 63 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms) and the National
Assembly or Majlisi Milliy (upper chamber; 33 seats; members are
indirectly elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms, 25 selected
by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve 5-year
terms). Elections: last held February 27 and March 12, 2000 for
the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held in 2005) and
March 23, 2000 for the National Assembly. Election results for
Assembly of Representatives, percent of vote by party--PDPT 65%,
Communist Party 20%, Islamic Revival 7.5%, other 7.5%. Judicial--Supreme
Court, judges are appointed by the president.
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party
or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDDAROV, chairman]; Islamic Revival Party
[Said Abdullo NURI]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT [Rahmatullo
ZOIROV]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali
RAHMONOV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Socialist
Party of Tajikistan Party or [Mirhusein NARZIEV].
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal.
Defense (2003 est.): Military manpower (availability)--1,273,700.
Flag:
Three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white,
and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed
stars is located in the center of the white stripe.
