DUSHANBE, August 2, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- President Emomali Rahmon introduced a number of staff changes at a July 30 government session.

By government’s decree Abdurahim Rasoulov was relieved of his post of director general of the state unitary enterprise, Zarya Vostoka, and replaced with Fayzullo Mahmoudov, according to presidential press service.

We will recall that Abdurahim Rasoulov was detained last week on suspicion of having been involved in a large-scale embezzlement of state funds.  Rasoulov who is also member of the Taboshar legislature (Majlis) had served as director general of Zarya Vostoka since 2004.  From 1998 to 2004, he served as deputy prime minister of Tajikistan, deputy governor of Sughd province, deputy mayor of Chkalovsk, and mayor of Qairoqqum.  According to the Sughd anticorruption directorate, Rasoulov and six other managers of the enterprise have embezzled 1,716,598 somoni (equivalent to more than 392,000 U.S. dollars).  Criminal proceedings have been instituted against them.

Founded in 1968, the Taboshar-based Zarya Vostoka had been one of enterprises of the defense industry in the Soviet time.  Today, it is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Sughd province.  Zarya Vostoka now produces consumer goods.

Besides, by government’s decrees Ms. Bibiosiya Ghulomova, formerly deputy chairperson of Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district, was appointed deputy chairperson of the Committee on Language and Terminology under the Government of Tajikistan and Abdujabbor Qodirov was appointed the first deputy minister of justice.