Fuel-import market monopolists “line their pockets,” says CPT leader

DUSHANBE, May 12, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The Communist Party (CPT) leader Shodi Shabdolov, who is also member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament), considers that the government must introduce strict measures against a group of monopolists that “have formed in the country’s fuel-import market and are lining their pockets from gasoline price hike.”

According to him, current rates of increase in gasoline prices in Tajikistan have outstripped the world market trends.  “The international fuel prices have been rising for many objective and subjective reasons, but this cannot be the reason for the fact that current gasoline prices in Dushanbe are higher than in New York,” the CPT leader noted.

Shabdolov stressed that the hike in the international fuel prices had resulted mainly from dramatic events in the Middle East and plentiful economic growth in countries such as China and India.

“The world oil and coal reserves will be over within the next 50-100 years and the danger of use of nuclear power is becoming more and more obvious.  Under such conditions, demand for renewable power resources in which Tajikistan is rich is increasing,” said Shabdolov, “History will not forgive us if we waste our chance in this area.”

He also pointed to the necessity of development of wind and solar power in the country.