Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament yesterday endorsed amendments proposed to the country’s administrative.

The amendments, in particular, stipulate that fines will be imposed on officials who withhold information about having citizenship of another country.

Presenting the amendments to lawmakers, Bakhtovar Safarzoda, the member of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on the Constitutional Legality, noted that officials having dual citizenship must renounce the citizenship of another country or resign office.

Officials violating these requirements will pay fine equal to between 20 and 30 estimate indicators.  Current estimate indicator is equal to 50.00 somoni.

Recall, Tajik lawmakers November 2, 2016 approved amendments to the law that ban individuals with dual citizenship from serving in the country’s security services.

Presenting to lawmakers the amendments that would ban individuals with dual citizenship from serving in the country’s security services, the first deputy head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), Mansourjon Umarov, said the goal of the amendments was to protect national interests and prevent classified information from being leaked.

Besides, individuals serving in the security services should be knowledgeable of the Tajik (state) language, Umarov added.

The Majlisi Namoyandagon on November 2 also approved amendments proposed to the country’s law on public service.  They, in particular, ban dual citizenship for Tajik public servants.

It is to be noted that Tajikistan has an agreement on dual citizenship only with the Russian Federation.

Under Tajikistan’s legislation, the public service system includes public civil service, public military service, and law enforcement public service.

The public service law reportedly applies to political and administrative public servants.