ALMATY, Kazakhstan: Uzbekistan’s parliament approved Prime Minister Shavkat
Mirziyoyev as acting
president on Thursday, a government website reported, in the clearest sign yet he could take over long term after the death of veteran strongman Islam Karimov.
Mirziyoyev, 58, was given the post after being backed by Senate leader Nigmatilla Yuldashev, who under the constitution should have become temporary
president ahead of elections.
Parliament also ordered a presidential vote to take place within three months with many analysts expecting
Mirziyoyev to win.
Mirziyoyev has been widely tipped by analysts to succeed autocrat Karimov.
The 78-year-old
president was buried on Saturday in his native Samarkand city, of which
Mirziyoyev was a former gover**r.
Mirziyoyev has had meetings with both Russian
president Vladimir Putin who laid flowers at Karimov’s grave on Tuesday, and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who attended the funeral.
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