DUSHANBE, May 4, Asia-Plus – According to figures provided by the CIS Committee for Statistics, Tajikistan stands in first place among CIS states in terms of the rate of growth in real average monthly wage, Russia’s news agency Finmarket said.  

Over the first quarter of the year, a real average monthly wage in Tajikistan has exceeded the January-March 2006 level by 33 percent with regard to growth in consumer prices, while in Kazakhstan and Russia, an 18 percent increase has been reported, Ukraine – 15 percent, Azerbaijan – 8 percent, Armenia – 14 percent, Belarus – 10 percent and Moldova – 9 percent. 

Over the report period, a nominal average monthly wage in Azerbaijan has amounted to 165 manat, Armenia – 69,900 drams, Belarus – 632,800 Belarus rubles, Kazakhstan – 46,600 tenge, Kyrgyzstan – 3,315 som, Moldova – 1,782 leu, Russia – 11,924 Russian rubles, Tajikistan – 155 somonis , and Ukraine – 1,161 hryvnya.    

Compared to January-March 2006, the growth has fluctuated from 20% to 57%, according to the CIS Committee for Statistics.  

As far as inflation is concerned, over the report period, it has increased in the CIS states on average by 9 percent.  Tajikistan tops CIS states in terms of the inflation rate as well.  Compared to the first quarter of 2006, the inflation rate in Tajikistan has been 18.1 percent in January-March 2007. 

Over the report period, in Azerbaijan, inflation has increased on average by 16.6 percent, Moldova – 12.1 percent, Georgia – 10.4 percent, Ukraine – 10.2 percent, Kazakhstan – 8.1 percent, and Russia – 7.7 percent.   

The lowest inflation rate has been reported in Kyrgyzstan – 4.7 percent.