DUSHANBE, October 7, 2010, Asia-Plus -- The next edition of the Dushanbe independent weekly, Farazh, did not appear today.

According to the Farazh editorial board, the privately owned Oila-Print printing house has raised printing prices following rise in paper prices.  “However, we agreed with new prices but Oil-Print refused to print our newspaper all the same,” said the source, “We tried to find alternative printing house but they refused at the very last moment.”

Meanwhile, the Oila-Print manager Siyovoush Hamdamov told Asia-Plus that indeed, they raised printing prices in connection with rise in the paper prices.  “When the Farazh editorial board heard about price increase, they decided to print their newspaper in another printing house and they have not applied to us after that,” he said.

Hamdamov added that Oil-Print had refused to print the Paykon and Istiqlol weeklies due to their debts.