DUSHANBE, October 1, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Deputies of Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament have endorsed amendments made to the country’s law on the national budget for 2014.

A regular sitting of the sixth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by it head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on October 1.

Presenting the bill proposing amendments to the law on the national budget for 2014, Deputy Finance Minister, Alamkhon Naimi, noted that the amendments provided for exempting building materials and equipment delivered to the country for construction of the Sheraton Dushanbe hotel from payment of value added tax (VAT), income tax and tax for motorway users.

“In all, more than 37 million somoni worth of building materials and equipment were delivered to the country for construction of the Sheraton Dushanbe Hotel and the tax exempt amount is 8.8 million somoni,” the deputy minister noted.

He further added that one more hotel under construction will be exempted from payment taxes next year.  “It will be the last hotel under construction that will be exempted from payment of taxes,” Naimi said.

According to him, this year’s tax exempt amount will total more than 4 billion U.S. dollars.

We will recall that a five-star Sheraton Dushanbe Hotel opened its doors to the public on September 6.  Tajik President Emomali Rahmon attended a ceremony of an official opening of the hotel.

The 15-tory Sheraton Dushanbe Hotel reportedly has 147 rooms to accommodate 179 guests, presidential suites floor, three restaurants, two banquet rooms, swimming pools, sports bar, café, and saunas.

US hotel giant Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, inc. signed an agreement with CJSC CHL International last year, to open a Sheraton Hotel in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.  A total cost of the project is 55 million U.S. dollars.

The Sheraton Dushanbe Hotel marks the entry of Starwood to Tajikistan.  The opening of this hotel is part of the company’s global strategic expansion plan that includes adding more than 60 new hotels to the Sheraton portfolio over the next three years.