DUSHANBE, July 26, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan is not going to announce tender for privatization of Tajikistan Aluminum Company (Talco; formerly Tajik Aluminum Plant or TadAZ,), Sharif Rahimzoda, Chairman of the State Committee for Investment and Management of State-owned Property, remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 25.
According to him, the company has to date resolved all its problems and there is no necessity for privatization of it. “If Talco’s debts had previously amounted to $300 million, now this figure decreased to $30 million,” the committee head said, noting that in future, in case of necessity, Talco could become investor itself.
Rahimzoda noted that at present Tajik State Air Company TajikAir, and Tajik Railways are standing in line for privatization. However, he added that they have not yet been ready for privatization, “”because such large enterprises should be restructured before privatization.”
“For example, the Tajik national air carrier is supposed to be subdivided into three companies, including an enterprise operating planes, airport and navigation service.” said Rahimzoda. He noted that as matter of fact, the navigation service should not be privatized.
On the process of privatization of the government property, the committee head noted that some 11,000 real estate properties had been privatized in the country since the beginning of the privatization process. “However, there is no a single register of all state-owned properties,” said Rahimzoda, “We plan to compile such a list in the near future; we hope to receive $500,000 in form of grant for this.”
