KHUJAND, February 4, 2013, Asia-Plus  – Hundreds of vendors running shops at the Somon marketplace, which is located near the Khujand-Ghafurov highway, have reportedly organized a demonstration to protest rising costs of patents.

Some 800 vendors have held a march to demand the authorities cut the patent cost.  On January 1, a monthly cost of the patent was raised from 258 to 363 somoni.

Some eyewitnesses say that the vendors were going to discuss this problem in the building of the Chkalovsk mayor’s office but police officers forced them to return to the marketplace.  Some of the vendors were reportedly detained.

Representatives of the Sughd regional administration met with the vendors and offered to discuss the problem today afternoon in the building of the regional administration in Khujand.