DUSHANBE, June 24, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The introduction of road pricing does not meet public interest because the country’s economic situation is hard and the population’s paying capacity is very low, Tajik lawyer Shokirjon Hakimov said in an interview with Asia-Plus, commenting on the bill requiring amendments to the country’s law on motor roads and road activity that was endorsed by parliament yesterday.

We will recall that the amendments, in particular, provide for the introduction of road pricing in Tajikistan.

“Indeed, some countries now use the road pricing,” said Hakimov, “Meanwhile, these countries have alternative roads alongside the paid motor roads.  In Tajikistan, it is impossible to construct the alternative motor roads that would be used free of charge both economically and geographically.”

The expert added that there were rumors that the law requiring the introduction of road pricing had been initiated by separate entrepreneurs close to the government in order to use the paid motor roads in their own interest in the future.