DUSHANBE, July 26, Asia-Plus — A presentation of four TV public service announcements (PSA) on Tajikistan’s law “On Inspection of Activity of Economic Entities in Tajikistan” was held in Dushanbe on Thursday, July 26.

Demonstration of the TV PSAs was held under support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as part of the project for development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Tajikistan.  

Speaking at the TV PSAs-presenting ceremony, the project manager, Mr. Andrea Dall’Olio, said: “Working out legal foundation is not enough for law’s taking effect, and the key instrument of action is legal awareness of the population.” 

Four TV public service announcements titled “Law is Your Support”, “Before Inspection”, “During Inspection” and “Application of Inspection” have been shot under support of the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Tajikistan’s State Committee for Investments and Management of State-Owned Property and State Committee for TV and Radio-broadcasting.  They will be broadcast on Tajik national TV channel Shabakai Avval four times per day.  

“These TV PSAs inform entrepreneurs about new law on inspections, which protects their rights,” Rudoba Bahrddinova, chairwoman of the department for legal protection of entrepreneurs of the State Committee for Investments and Management of State-Owned Property, said, noting that the law regulates the scope and frequency of inspections, states clear rights and obligations of inspectors, and provides for preliminary notification of entrepreneurs of inspections three days before it begins. 

The main objective of this public service announcement is to raise public awareness of the country’s law on inspections that was adopted on July 28, 2006. 

It is to be noted that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Tajikistan suffer from repeated, and not always

 properly regulated, inspections.  Not only is the structure and organization of inspections sometimes inadequate, but entrepreneurs have very low knowledge of their rights and obligations.