Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament has endorsed the bill requiring amendments to the country’s law on the national budget for 2013.

A regular sitting of the fifth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fourth convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on December 5.

One of the amendments provides for exempting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from paying value added tax (VAT) on the delivery of 650,000 blank biometric passports   

Speaking at the session, Deputy Finance Minister, Ruhullo Hakimov, noted that the MFA was not now able to pay VAT and customs duties on the mentioned blank biometric passports.

“Besides, the MFA now owes 2.5 million euro to German Muhlbauer for the blank biometric passports,” said the deputy finance minister.  “VAT on the delivery of the blank biometric passports amounts to 6.2 million somoni and customs duties amount to 5.8 million somoni.”

According to him, the project provides for delivery of 700,000 blank biometric passports to the total amount of 5.5 million euro.  To-date, only 50,000 blank biometric passports have been delivered to the country.  The remaining 650,000 blank biometric passports are expected to be delivered to the country before the end of this year.

Hakimov added that a 25 million somoni interest-free loan had been provided to the MFA for purchase of the blank biometric passports.

We will recall that Tajikistan introduced biometric passports on February 1, 2010.  German Muhlbauer has been granted a contract for purchase of blank biometric passports for Tajikistan.  A two-stage tender for purchase of blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment, announced by the Agency for State Purchases at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was held in June 2009.  On August 27, 2009, Tajik MFA and German Muhlbauer signed a contract on purchase of the blank biometric passports and appropriate equipment for Tajikistan.