DUSHANBE, February 2, Asia-Plus — This year, 50-. 20- and 5-diram banknotes will have been withdrawn from circulation completely and will have been replaced by coins of 50, 20 and 5 dirams’ denomination, Asia-Plus has learned from Nina Ambardumova, head of the cash and emission transactions department within the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT).
At present not more than one percent of diram banknotes has remained in the circulation in the republic, according to Ms. Ambardumova. She noted that in January 2004 already, Tajikistan’s central bank ordered to withdraw from circulation all dilapidated diram banknotes and replace the by coins of the same denomination.
To date, the republic has issued coins of 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 dirams’ denomination as well as coins of 1, 3 and 5 somonis’ denomination.
According to the NBT official, the main problem hampering the process is the fact that “dilapidated banknotes are not reaching banks.”
