DUSHANBE, February 10, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth’s index decreased from 6.7 percent in 2005 to 4.8 percent in January 2006, Rustamjon Jabborov, head of the state-run trade department within the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), said.  

Compared to 2004, an average increase in gross domestic product in the CIS states made 7 percent.  

Azerbaijan with a 26.4 percent increase stands in first place among the CIS  states in terms of growth in GDP in 2005.  It is followed by Armenia, where there was a 13.9 percent growth in its gross domestic product for last year.  Belarus and Kazakhstan with a 9.2 percent growth each stand in third place, according information posted on the APK-inform site.  Tajikistan with a 6.7 percent increase stands in fourth place.

Commenting on these figures Mr. Jabborov has said in his interview with Asia-Plus that although this index is quite high for Tajikistan “but it does not mean that we can be satisfied with this level.”  

“The point is that our economy is so weak that even a small move is reflected in quite a high percentage,” said the MET official, “For example, Kazakhstan’s GDP is supposed to have reached the 1991 indices this year, while we have to date reached only nearly a 60 percent level of the GDP for 1991.”  

According to him, decrease in GDP growth’s index from 6.7 percent in 2005 to 4.8 percent is evidence of aggravation of economic situation in the republic.  “Thus, Armenia, which like other country is not rich in oil and gas resource, stands second place in terms of GDP growth because it actively uses its investment and entrepreneurial potentials.”