Deputy of Tajikistan’s lower house (Malisi Namoyandgon) of parliament, Saidjaffar Usmonzoda, who is also leader of the Democratic Party of Tajikistan (DPT), has appealed to the conscience of vendors, saying that a sudden spike in gas prices should not lead to sharp rise in prices for basic food products.
According to him, parliamentarians have asked the government and relevant ministries and agencies to express their views on the situation and measures to be taken to stabilize the fuel prices.
“Representatives of the government have assured us that all necessary measures to stabilize the fuel prices are being taken, negotiations are being carried out with suppliers of petroleum products, and the issue of selling the national reserves of petroleum products is being studied, ” Usmonzoda said.
At the same time, Tajik MP noted that “fluctuation of fuel prices in Tajikistan, which is fully dependent on fuel imports, is not anything extraordinary, and such cases are being regulated quickly.”
“Of course, the government must not interfere with price formation, but in this case, in my opinion, the government should control formation of prices for gasoline and the liquefied natural gas,” Usmonzoda stressed.
He further noted that stocks of food products in warehouses and shops in any city or district of the country were not so large and even inconsiderable fuel price hike can lead to increase in prices for basic food products.
Recall, the price of one liter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Dushanbe has risen nearly 33 percent over the past several days — from 3.40 somoni on June 15 to 4.50 somoni, with similar price rises in other parts of the country.
Meanwhile, gasoline prices have risen in the Tajik capital on average 12 percent over the past several days.
The price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline in Dushanbe has risen from 6.80 somoni on June 15 to 7.60 somoni.
The price of one liter of diesel fuel in Dushanbe has risen 13 percent over the report period — from 7.00 somoni on June 15 to 7.90 somoni.
In the northern Sughd province, the price of one liter of 92-octane gasoline has risen to 7.00 somoni, and the price of one liter of diesel fuel has risen to 7.40 somoni.
Representatives of gas supplying companies say the price hike has resulted from the rising cost of petroleum products in Russia and Kazakhstan, which provide the bulk of Tajikistan’s fuel imports.
Kazakhstan now accounts for 80 percent of Tajikistan’s liquefied natural gas imports, while Russia provides the bulk of Tajikistan’s gasoline imports.
