Rustam Emomali has departed for Russia

The Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (the upper house of Parliament) of Tajikistan and the Mayor of Dushanbe, Rustam Emomali, has gone on an official visit to Russia.

It is symbolic that this is his first foreign trip after being re-elected as the chairman of the upper house of Parliament.

According to the official version, Rustam Emomali has traveled to St. Petersburg to participate in a meeting of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (IPA) of the CIS member states and the next plenary session of the assembly.

It is reported that the meeting of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states will summarize the activities for 2024, as well as discuss preparations for upcoming international summits, political issues, risks and threats associated with the use of artificial intelligence for terrorist purposes, and the search for and achievement of a balance between security, innovation, and other aspects.

The press service of the Majlisi Milli of Tajikistan reported that Rustam Emomali participated in and spoke at a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945.

It should be noted that this is not Rustam Emomali’s first visit to Russia. Earlier, in June 2023, he visited St. Petersburg to participate in one of the events.

In November of the same year, he arrived in Moscow, where he held meetings with the leadership of the Federation Council and the State Duma of Russia. He also participated in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in May 2021, and in 2022, he attended the Forum of Young Parliamentarians in Kazan.

Rustam’s last visit to Russia took place shortly after he was re-elected as the Chairman of the Majlisi Milli of the Republic of Tajikistan for a second term on April 11 of this year.

According to the country’s Constitution, the Chairman of the Majlisi Milli is considered the second person in the state. In the event of the resignation, death, illness, or refusal of the president to perform their duties, he temporarily assumes the responsibilities of the head of state until extraordinary presidential elections are held.

Critics of the current regime in Tajikistan associate his key positions with a possible transfer of power from father to son. This topic has been discussed in the country for many years.

Furthermore, they believe that all arrests, persecutions, and killings of dissenters over the past 10 years in Tajikistan are directly related to the “creation of favorable conditions” for the transfer of power from Emomali Rahmon to his son Rustam Emomali.