DUSHANBE, March 4, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Bahor Qamarov, the head of the directorate for entrepreneurship affairs within the Center for Strategic Studies, considers that the law on measures to protect economic interests of Tajikistan that requires import restraints has more advantages than disadvantages.

According to him, the only problem that may arise is a possible increase of prices of domestic goods that should replace the imported analogs.  Qamarov noted that the government should protect interests of domestic commodity producers and thereby increase receipts to the national budget.

“The relevant governmental bodies should control import of the up-to-date technologies into the country,” said the expert.  “It is necessary to explore opportunities and potentials of domestic producers in order to avoid deficiency of one or another commodity.”

“Local authorities should support domestic producers in every possible way, and thereby, promote creation of new jobs,” Qamarov said, noting that removal of mediators between the producer and consumer could allow reducing prices of goods.