DUSHANBE, January 9, Asia-Plus — “Debt of the public for electricity and natural gas is reducing and to date, collection of funds from the public for natural gas has amounted to 80%-90% and collection of funds from the public for electricity has amounted to 90%-95%,” Deputy Dushanbe Mayor, Fayzullo Isupov, remarked at a meeting of the commission for monitoring the situation with provision of the population with gas and electricity that was held on January 6. 

Heads of the Dushanbe electricity, gas and heat supplies services reported on the work carried out following applications by the city-dwellers.  

During the meeting it was noted that in microrayon 91, 24 of 37 residential buildings were providing with heat, in microrayon 92 – 27 of 34 residential buildings. 

Deputy Dushanbe Mayor, Fayzullo Isupov, telling the meeting proposed to solve the problem with regular gas supplies due to saving on the city’s thermoelectric power stations.  

Firs deputy head of “Tojikgaz” (Tajik state gas concern) State Unitary Enterprise, Shavkat Shoimov, noted that “Barqi Tojik” (Tajik electric System) Company having the Dushanbe thermoelectric power station under its authority was in debt to “Tojikgaz” to the tune of some US$1 million.  

Deputy head of the “Barqi Tojik” Company, Jamshed Mansurov, for his part, noted that they have not been able to pay their debt because the Tajik Aluminum Plant (TadAZ) has not yet paid his debt of some US$18 million to them.  

DUSHANBE, January 9, Asia-Plus — To provide assistance in organizing regular electricity supplies to Dushanbe the Energy Ministry has set up three teams comprising specialists from Varzob hydropower plant, Dushanbe electric system and Dushanbe thermal electric power station.  

According to information from the Energy Ministry’s press service, cold weather means consumption of electric power sharply increases and large working load on transformers leads to interruptions in electricity supplies.   

“The ministry has passed a resolution obliging all electricity supply services of Dushanbe to make raids to reveal unauthorized connection to the electricity transmission sources and opportunely repair transformers and sub-stations in case of accidents,” the source said.  

The source has also noted that now, the operational commission at the ministry will hold meetings three times a week to discuss the electricity supply situation.  

DUSHANBE, January 9, Asia-Plus – The situation with a sudden spike in gasoline prices in Tajikistan is gradually coming back to normal and experts from the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET) link this to expiry of a term of ban imposed by Kazakhstan’s authorities on export of fuel from the country in connection with harvest season.  

As it had been reported earlier, Kazakhstan imposed ban on export of the diesel fuel for the period from July 1 to October 15 in order to ensure that sufficient reserves remain available for the harvest season and on October 11, Kazakhstan’s Government passed a resolution extending ban on fuel exports till December 31 2005.

The source in the MET has told Asia-Plus that compared to late December 2005 an average price of gasoline in the republic has come down by 6.86 percent and amounted to 2 Somonis.  The price of one liter of 96-octane gasoline in Dushanbe came down from 2.40 Somonis in late December to 2 Somonis on January 5, with similar price falls in other parts of the country.  The price of one liter of 95-octane gasoline has come down from 2.20 Somonis to 2.00 Somonis.  As it had been reported earlier, compared to late November 2005 an average price of gasoline in the republic came down by 18.78 percent in late December 2005.  

According to information from the MET, Tajikistan imported 278,600 tons of oil products in January-November 2005.  The totaled included 129,900 tons of gasoline for a total amount of US$52 million (US$400 per ton).  Besides, Tajikistan imported 42,000 tons of diesel fuel for US$17.5 million (US$417 per ton) during this period.  According to the source, in July-December 2005, Tajikistan imported mainly from Russia and Turkmenistan. 

Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan are the main trading partners to Tajikistan fuel imports.  Kazakhstan accounts for 40.7 percent of Tajikistan’s fuel imports, Russia for 23.4 percent and Turkmenistan for 15.3 percent.  

DUSHANBE, January 7, Asia-Plus / / — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a federal law on ratifying the agreement between the governments of Russia and Tajikistan on labor activity of Russian nationals in Tajikistan and Tajik nationals in Russia, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The lower and upper houses of the Russian parliament approved the document, respectively, on


December 23, 2005

and

December 27, 2005

.

The federal law envisions ratification of the bilateral accord in question, which was signed on in


Dushanbe


on

October 16, 2004

.  It regulates issues of labor activity and the protection of rights of the Russians temporarily living and working in


Tajikistan


and the Tajiks temporarily living and working in


Russia


.  The document also aims to promote legal labor migration and to avert the illegal use of labor force from either country.

When Asia-Plus has applied for comments to officials with the Tajik MFA, they said that the Tajik MFA has not yet received a note about signing of this document.  “It is very long procedure: Russian MFA should send the note to the Russian Embassy in


Dushanbe


and they will send it to the Tajik MFA.” 

Some local experts hold that this document “will allow improving fate of Tajik migrants officially leaving for


Russia


in search of better employment opportunities and protecting their rights in the


Russian Federation


.” 

DUSHANBE


, January 7, Asia-Plus — Issues of gas supplies from


Uzbekistan


to


Tajikistan


are supposed to be discussed in negotiations between Tajik economy officials and Uzbek suppliers in


Tashkent


from January 11-18, according to information from the Ministry of Economy and Trade. 

The MET source says the negotiations will be conducted at the level of deputy heads of relevant ministries on rational use of water resources and natural gas.   

Deputy Economy and Trade Minister, Larisa Kislyakova, will represent


Tajikistan


in the negotiations.  An official with the MET has told

Asia

-Plus, “Representatives of Tajikistan and


Uzbekistan


are expected to sign agreements “On Gas Supplies from


Uzbekistan


to


Tajikistan


at the Rate of US$55.00 per 1,000 Cubic Meters of Gas” and “On Rational Use of Water Resources.” 

The negotiations also will focus on issues related to


Tajikistan


’s debt to


Uzbekistan


, according to the source.   

DUSHANBE


, January 7, Asia-Plus — Next summit meeting of the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) is scheduled to be held in


St. Petersburg


on January 25, according to information from the Ministry of Economic and Trade (MET).

The MET source says issues related to cooperation in the area of integrated currency market as well as interaction between border services of member nations of the Community in settling crisis situations are supposed to top the summit’s agenda. 


Uzbekistan


is expected to be admitted to the Community also on this day, according to the Asia-Plus interlocutor.

According to the source, the summit will consider two documents: on a procedure of admission of


Uzbekistan


to the Community and integration of the EAEC and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).  

The EAEC members are


Belarus


,


Kazakhstan


,


Kyrgyzstan


,


Russia


and


Tajikistan


. 


Armenia


,


Moldova


and


Ukraine


have an observer status.  

DUSHANBE, January 6, Asia-Plus  A roundtable meeting was held in Dushanbe on January 5 to discuss the results of a joint survey carried out by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the National Association of Small and Medium Business of Tajikistan.

Chairperson of the National Association of Small and Medium Business of Tajikistan, Ms. Matluba Uljaboyeva noted that the survey entitled “Development of Competitiveness and Productivity of Entrepreneurship in Tajikistan” was carried out by the closed joint-stock company (CLSC) “Legal Consulting Group” in June last year.  During the survey they polled 450 respondents including representatives from private sector, state-run enterprises and non-government organizations. 

“250 of those polled are residents of Dushanbe and districts subordinate to the center (RRP), 10 respondents were from Sughd and 100 other respondents were from Khatlon,” Ms. Uljaboyeva said, noting that three branches of economy had been selected for carrying out the survey – agriculture, production of consumer good and trade.  “The Surveys results have shown once again that along with donor aid development of small business is important factor,” Ms. Uljaboyeva stressed.

The “Development of Competitiveness and Productivity of Entrepreneurship in Tajikistan” survey head also representative from the “Legal Consulting Group” company, Ms. Anna Sotnikova noted that more than 60 percent of small business owners in Tajikistan have made unofficial payments.  Of them, 75 percent pay more than 10 percent of their annual income.  “It is real disaster for Tajikistan’s economy,” Ms. Sotnikova. 

She noted that the main problems small business owners in Tajikistan faced were, first of all, shortage of accurate and timely information about new legal documents.  “The country’s system of legal proceedings also does not inspire with confidence,” noted the Legal Consulting Group representative, “All this and many other things impede development of small and medium-sized business in Tajikistan.”  “When familiarizing himself with legal environment in Tajikistan one may form the impression that there are no any barriers and obstacles in the way of development of entrepreneurship,” said Ms. Sotnikova, “But in practice, the situation leaves much to be desired”.   But good laws and regulations are not useful if they are not implemented fairly and honestly. 

The other problem impeding economic development in Tajikistan is undeveloped tax systems, according to her.  “Of those surveyed, 89 percent named tax system in Tajikistan one of the most serious obstacle impeding development of business in the republic,” she stressed.  The majority of those polled also noted that among other factors impeding development of entrepreneurship in Tajikistan were low access to getting loans, customs requirements, the necessity of making unofficial payments, etc.