DUSHANBE, July 7, 2008, Asia-Plus – Tajik Journalists’ Union is hosting a press conference on the subject of “Opening of Permanent Centers for Protecting Rights of Consumers in the Field of Power Supply” today.
The press conference staged by Tajikistan’s consumer union under support of the Independent School of Journalism “Tajikistan – 21st Century” (School), aims to discuss specificity of activities of the centers that were set up in the cities of Dushanbe, Khujand and Qurghon Teppa in early July and united into the national network for protection of consumers’ interest and rights.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the School executive director Safo Safarov said that the center are dedicated to receive applications from citizens about infringements in the sphere of providing the pollution with electrical power and natural gas, represent consumers’ interest in the energy sector reforms, promote the provision of legality in relations between consumers and power distributors, and provide independent assessment of a process of reforms in the energy sector.
According to him, the centers were established within the framework of the Promotion of Efficient Energy Use in Tajikistan project funded by the Delegation of the European Commission in Tajikistan under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) program.
The Promotion of Efficient Energy Use in Tajikistan project, designed for 18 months, has worked in the country since March 2008. Along with launching the national network for protection of consumers’ interest and rights the project also includes development and promotion of legislative initiatives, holding of roundtable meetings on social partnership and informational-educational campaigns (producing public service announcements (PSA), publishing booklets and conducting seminars for leaders of local communities and personnel of power suppliers).
