DUSHANBE, January 26, Asia-Plus — A scientific-practical conference on problems of preventing corruption in Tajikistan was held in Dushanbe today.
The conference was staged by the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) and the UNDP CO in Tajikistan.
The conference participants included representatives from president’s office, government, law enforcement agencies, newly established anticorruption agency, lawyers and representatives from international organizations active in the country.
Inaugurating the conference, Mahkam Mahmoudov, deputy head of president’s office, outlined efforts taken by the government to fight this negative phenomenon. He noted that the conference is dedicated “to facilitate formation of the position on fighting corruption.”
William Paton, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, telling the conference named they year of 2006 a year of formation of national policy of fighting corruption in Tajikistan. He especially stressed a role of civic society and media in this fight. According to him, publications in media are a kind of indicator of openness of the civic society. Paton added that the fight against corruption will not be effective without interaction between the government and civic society.
Justice Minister Bakhtiyor Khudoyorov telling the conference outlined measures to provide independence of courts in the country. He also pointed to the necessity of raising legal literacy of society and stressed significance of publication of corruption-related articles in media and pointed to the necessity of taking into consideration public opinion for improving many laws.
Deputy Dean of Law Faculty at Tajik National University, Taqdirsho Sharipov, noted that at present cases of corruption are revealed mostly in education and health sectors. Meanwhile, corruption has affected other elements of society as well, according to him. He noted that in 2003, 33 cases of corruption were officially reported, in 2004 80 cases, in 2005 81 cases and 71 cases of corruption had been officially reported in the country over the first nine months of 2006. Sharipov also pointed to the necessity of making amendments to the RT Law “On the Fight Against Corruption” that was adopted in 2005.
For his part, Sherkhon Salimov, Director of the Agency for Financial Control and Combating Corruption, acquainted those present with functions and structure of the new anticorruption agency.
