DUSHANBE, January 21, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The government finance program estimates that the year-end inflation for 2011 will stand at 7.0 percent, Sharif Rahimzoda, the head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 20.

He added that the finance program would be corrected in case of any conditions “over which we have no control.”  “For example, if international oil prices rise,” Rahimzoda said.

The central bank head also noted that relatively high inflation rate for 2010 was caused by Uzbekistan’s halting of freight cars bound for Tajikistan.

“As a result of the blockade of rail traffic to Tajikistan entrepreneurs were forced to ship goods to the country by motor transport that led to increase in the commodity prices,” Rahimzoda said, adding the consumer prices rose 9.8 percent during last year.