Parliament of Uzbekistan to elect interim President

“In the course of the meeting [of parliamentary members].Mr. Yuldashev himself suggested that it would be expedient to temporarily appoint Prime Minister S. Mirziyoev as acting president given his many years of experience”, the statement from the parliament said.

According to BBC Russia, the lawmakers from both Lower and Upper Chambers of the Parliament are expected to gather to discuss the issue on September 8.

Recall that earlier today Uzbekistan’s parliament appointed Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev as interim president.

Mirziyoyev had been tipped as a favourite to succeed the late Karimov, who governed Uzbekistan with an iron fist since first entering power while the country was still part of the Soviet Union.

By appointing Mirziyoyev, 59, as acting head of state, the legislature leapfrogged Senate Chairman Nigmatilla Yuldashev, who under the constitution should have led the country during the transition period as acting president after Karimov’s death.

We should remind you that Islam Karimov died at the age of 78 after suffering a stroke on the 2 of August.

It’s not clear whether the date for the presidential election will also be announced during the parliament session. He was buried in his home city of Samarkand on September 3, a day after the Uzbek government officially announced his death.