Tajik parliament seeks cooperation of local ecologists and civil society

DUSHANBE, February 24, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Environmental problems arising in the world are gradually turning into global political problems.

Ms. Makhfirat Khidirova, chairperson of the faction of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) within the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), remarked this today, while speaking at a meeting of the parliament’s environmental commission.

Local ecology experts and representatives from local public associations dealing with the environmental protection problems have also been invited to attend the meeting.  

MP Rustam Latipov, who heads the environmental commission, called on them to more actively collaborate with parliamentarians and government bodies in seeking solution to the environmental protection problems.  He also noted that they were currently working out the forestry code and the environmental protection law.

Representatives of civil society, for their part, noted that they were ready to collaborate with MPs in tackling environmental problems arising in the country and protecting interests of the country on international arena.

We will recall that the Majlisi Namoyandagon’s environmental commission was established in April 2010.  The commission members include fifteen MPs; among them are representatives of the People’ Democratic, Communist, Islamic Revival and Agrarian parties.  The commission is reportedly dedicated to deal with issues related to ensuring the environmental security of Tajikistan, coordinating activities of and interaction between the parliament’s lower house and governmental bodies to improve the environmental situation and ensuring rational use of natural resources.