DUSHANBE, October 15, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Decrease in volumes of the dollar remittances to Tajikistan has resulted from a sharp devaluation of the Russian ruble (RR), Sharif Rahimzoda, chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), told reporters in Dushanbe on October 15.

According to him, Russia, which is the primary destination for Tajik labor migrants, has seen sharp currency devaluation this year.  “Over the first nine months of this year, the Russian ruble has fallen 35-36 percent against the dollar,” Tajik central bank head said, noting that current exchange rate of RR against USD is 30:1.   

Sharifzoda noted that over the first nine months of this year, volumes of remittances to Tajikistan have amounted to more than 1.303 billion U.S. dollars, which was 35 percent fewer than in the same period of last year.