DUSHANBE, July 21, Asia-Plus -- Uzbekistan’s natural gas supply company “Uztransgaz” has cut off natural gas supplies to Tajikistan due unpaid debts.  

Shavkat Shoimov, deputy head of “Tojikgaz” (Tajik gas concern), has told Asia-Plus that “Tojikgaz” debt to “Uztransgaz” (Uzbek gas supply company) for gas delivered this year has increased by US$1 million over the past months and “Tojikgaz” now owes US$4 million to the Uzbek gas supply company.  

“We cannot pay our debts to “Uztransgaz” because the rate of collection of funds from the public and enterprises remains quite low,” said Mr. Shoimov, “The country’s large industrial enterprises remain the most incorrigible nonpayers.”  “Tojikcement” alone has owed more than US$2 million to “Tojikgaz.”  

According to Mr. Shoimov, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reached an agreement a month ago on increasing natural gas deliveries to Tajikistan up to 50,000 cubic meters per hour.  However, Uztransgaz yesterday cut natural-gas-shipments to Tajikistan to 40,000 cubic meters per hour.  

            Shavkat Shoimov has noted that Tajik consumers’ debt for gas shipments to “Tojikgaz” have amounted to more than 145 million Somonis (equivalent to more than US$43 million), including the public’s debt in an amount of 133 million Somonis and the enterprises’ debt amounting to 12 million Somonis.