DUSHANBE, January 18, 2010, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi noted on January 18 that biometric passports for Tajikistan will be introduced in February this year.
According to him, all necessary equipment for implementing this project has already been delivered to Tajikistan from Germany. “Besides, a group of Tajik specialists have taken training course in Germany on correctly issuing biometric passports,” Zarifi said, adding that MFA will host a special news conference on the biometric passport introduction issue in February.
We will recall that that German Muhlbauer has been granted a contract for purchase of blank biometric passports for Tajikistan. A two-stage tender for purchase of blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment, announced by the Agency for State Purchases within the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in June 2009. On August 27, 2009, Tajik MFA and German Muhlbauer signed a contract on purchase of blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment for Tajikistan. The document was inked in Dushanbe by Mr. Hamrokhon Zarifi, Foreign Minister of Tajikistan, and Mr. Ludwig Huber, Vice-President of Muhlbauer.
