DUSHANBE , April 24, Asia-Plus - The State Committee for Management of State-owned Properties has revealed violations in financial activities of the Tajik-Austrian Joint Venture “Petroleum Sughd, the State-owned Properties Committee deputy head, Iqbolsho Salimov, said.  

According to him, three year ago, when the JV was launched, its initial capital amounted to more than 5 million U.S. dollars, with 40 percent of shares belonging to Tajikistan and 60 percent of share belonging to the Austrian side.   He noted that over the past three years the foreign company had allocated only US$745,000 or 20.2 percent of a total amount.  

As a result of measures taken by the Tajik government and the committee the JV’s founder – the Austrian company “Epa Betailligunselschaft BMH” (phonetically spelled) – has transferred the remaining part of the amount – US$2.2547 million 

He also said that inspections carried out in the first quarter of the year had revealed various violations and shortcomings in use of facilities of the ministries of health, energy and Tajik gas concern “Tojikgaz”.  

Salimov added that even after privatization the enterprises are liable for inspections because there were shares of the government in them.