DUSHANBE, February 23, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Henceforth, the People’s Democratic Party (PDPT) will avoid the principle of regionalism (when most high-ranking officials are from one region) in its personnel policy, the first deputy head of the party, Davlatali Davlatzoda said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, the party board recently made a decision to thoroughly consider activities of all candidates of the party both to parliament and local legislatures.  “Just one year remains till the next parliamentary elections,” said Davlatzoda, “Therefore, we should determine now with which party activists we will deal in the future.”

He noted that the party had worked out a new concept under which personnel would be elected only due to their professionalism and competence.  “Time has come to make ourselves ready for new realities of public and socioeconomic life in the country, and the issue of placing of personnel is now important for us as never before.”

People’s democratic Party of Tajikistan is a ruling party of the country.  The PDPT was founded and registered in 1993.  An official paper of the party is Minbari Khalq.  The PDPT is now the largest political party in Tajikistan, boasting some 115,000 members.  Its chairman is President Emomali Rahmon.  The party now controls more than 71 percent of the seats in the Majlisi Namoyandgon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) – 45 of 63 seats.