Parliament speaker has sharply criticized poor work of Tajik airlines. According to him, the work of Tajik air companies on serving passengers is deteriorating from day to day.
Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) Head Shukurjon Zuhurov’s criticism, directed at local air companies, came during an October 2 regular sitting of the Majlisi Namoyandagon.
“Any foreign investor who wants to invest in Tajikistan’s economy will escape after getting acquainted with service being provided by our airlines,” the parliament speaker said.
The Majlisi Namoyandagon today supported the government proposal to exempt the delivery of equipment for Tajikaeronavigatsiya (Tajikistan’s air navigation) from paying value added tax (VAT) and customs duties.
The equipment has reportedly been purchased for the money provided by Tajikaeronavigatsiya.
Meanwhile, planes of Tajik air carriers are continuing to land at airports of neighboring countries for refueling. Tajik airlines have been forced to land at airports of neighboring countries for refueling since May this year.
In recent years, aviation fuel at Tajik airports has become the most expensive in the region.
The main reasons for forced refueling at airports of neighboring countries are high cost of jet fuel in Tajikistan and shortage of it in the country. A lack of fuel supplies to Tajikistan’s airlines is reportedly forcing the carriers to perform layovers at foreign terminals during long international flights.
The problem has reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over money owed by the airlines to the Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) Fuel Supply Company, which occupies a monopoly position on Tajikistan’s aviation fuel market.
Chief accountant at Fuel Supply Company, Ramazon Qurbonov, says Tajik Air now owes 27 million somoni to the Company, while Somon Air’s fuel debts are even more.
Tajikistan reportedly buys jet fuel in the Russian Federation and its wholesale price is some 660.U.S. dollars per ton. Meanwhile, at the Tajik airports this fuel is being sold at the rate of 1,200 U.S. dollars per ton.
For comparison, the price for one ton of jet fuel at Kazakhstan’s airports is 800 U.S. dollars.
The antimonopoly agency, however, says the current price for jet fuel set by Fuel Supply Company is quite a fair.
The price for aviation fuel in Tajikistan reportedly includes value added tax (18 percent). Besides, Fuel Supply Company pays an excise duty. All these factors influence the aviation fuel prices in Tajikistan.
