DUSHANBE, October 8, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Over the first nine months of this year, Tajik labor migrants have remitted 159.6 million U.S. dollars to Amonatbonk (Tajikistan’s savings bank), which is 42 percent fewer than in the same period of last year, Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov, chairman of Amonatbonk’s Board, told reporters in Dushanbe on October 7.

According to him, the global financial crisis resulted in Tajik labor migrants’ dollar remittances decreasing.

“In the meantime, remittances in Russian rubles have increased over the report period and if to convert these funds into dollars the decrease will amount to only 10 percent,” Mahmadaminov said.

He noted that as of October 1, 2009, the bank’s capital amounted to 109 million somoni, which is 1.5 times more than last year.  Amonatbonk’s assets rose 49 percent in the year to October 1, 2009, reaching 623 million somoni.