DUSHANBE, September 12, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) has called on Tajik parliamentarians to actively participate in working out a draft budget for 2012.

A meeting of the board (Shuro) of the Majlisi Namoyandagon, presided over by its speaker, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on September 12.

“Speaking at the meeting, Zuhurov called on deputies of the lower chamber of parliament to actively participate in working out the draft national budget for 2012,” MP Shodi Shabdolov, who is also leader of the Communist Party of Tajikistan (CPT), told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, parliamentarians will begin to study the main parameters of the national budget beginning on October 1.

In the meantime, a source in the Ministry of Finance (MoF) says the draft law on the national budget for 2012 is currently being considered by relevant ministries and departments.

“Gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rise 7 percent in a year to December 31, 2012, reaching 35.4 billion somoni, ” said the source.  “Inflation for 2012 is expected to stand at 8-10 percent.”

The national budget for 2012 is expected to earmark some one billion somoni (equivalent to more than US$223 million), which is 150 million somoni more than it was allocated by the budget this year, the source added.