DUSHANBE, April 24, 2009, Asia-Plus -- In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, the head of the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption Sherkhon Salimzoda revealed on April 24 that damage caused by untargeted use of state funds by Tajiktelecom (Tajikistan’s fixed-line telecommunications network) has been estimated at some 3 million somoni (equivalent to nearly 770,000 US dollars).

“60 percent of this amount has already been reimbursed,” Salimzoda said, noting that part of those funds had been illegally used for purchase of apartments to a number of the Tajiktelecom employees.  According to him, 640,000 somoni (equivalent to some 165,000 US dollars) have been spent for purchase of those apartments.

Besides, inspection by the anticorruption agency has revealed that Tajik telecom purchased used vehicles at too overstated prices, Salimzoda said.

Over the three months of this year, the anticorruption agency has conducted 255 inspections at state-run organizations and enterprises.

According to findings by the anticorruption agency, corruption has cost Tajikistan at 13.9 million somoni (equivalent to some 3.6 million US dollars) over the report period.  Overall, 403 people have been implicated in wrongdoing and disciplinary and administrative action have been imposed upon them.  14 officials have been sacked.

Over the same three-month period, the agency has uncovered 175 corruption cases, 32 of which are connected with bribery.  70 criminal proceedings have been instituted against 96 persons that have already moved to courts.