Uzbekistan to elect new president in December

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan will hold new presidential elections on Dec. 4, 2016, following the death of ex-President Islam Karimov last week, the country’s election authority said Friday.

Central Election Commission Chairman Mirzo-Ulugbek Abdusalomov told reporters election campaigns would officially begin on Friday and end two days before election.

Abdusalomov added presidential candidates would be able to put forward their names after Sept. 30.

The announcements came a day after the parliament approved the decision to appoint Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyayev as the country’s acting president.

Former President Islam Karimov passed away at the age of 78 on Friday after being in intensive care for cerebral hemorrhage since Aug. 27. Karimov ran the country for 27 years.

*Reporting by Bahtiyar Abdukerimov; Writing by Fatjon Prroni