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By Aynur Karimova

Uzbekistan has achieved great successes by choosing an evolutionary and staged development path, President Islam Karimov said at the first meeting of the Legislative Chamber of the country’s parliament on January 13.

“In a historically short period of time, from 1990s under extremely difficult conditions, we didn’t give up to the outside pressure, rejected various economic models unacceptable for us and chose an evolutionary and staged development path and achieved great successes in many spheres,”he noted.

The president said, to date, the country has come only a small part of the way of the long and difficult path of building a democratic state and civil society.

Karimov drew the public attention to the threat to peace and stability caused by the developments in various countries.

“The increasing challenges and threats in our region, political and economic confrontation, terrorism, radicalism and drug trafficking cause concerns,” he added. “In this increasingly escalating situation, we should be vigilant and careful, understand who wishes us well and who has evil intentions.”

The speaker, five deputies who represented factions of four political parties and MP group of Uzbekistan’s Ecological Movement were elected during the first meeting of the new composition of Uzbek parliament’s Legislative Chamber.

Also, the list of parliamentary committees was approved, and a decision package was adopted on distribution of positions of committee heads among the factions of political parties.

The election to Senate is held at the joint meetings of the MPs of the representative bodies of the public authorities of Karakalpakstan Republic (Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, Tashkent, Fergana, Khorezm, Kashkadarya provinces, districts and cities in accordance with the resolution of Uzbek Central Election Commission (CEC).

Based on the country’s law, 84 members of the Senate are elected in equal numbers, i.e. six MPs from the Karakalpakstan Republic, provinces and the city of Tashkent.

The election is held by secret ballot at corresponding joint meetings of the MPs of the representative bodies of the public authorities from among these MPs.

Another 16 members of the Senate are appointed by Uzbek president out of the most distinguished citizens.

Uzbekistan’s bicameral parliament was created in 2005. Its legislative chamber permanently employs 150 MPs.

The upper house – Senate – employs 100 MPs elected in equal numbers, i.e. six MPs from the Karakalpakstan Republic, provinces and the Tashkent city. The Uzbek president appoints another 16 members of the Senate from among the most distinguished citizens.

Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova

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