DUSHANBE, May 9, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- A decision by Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Welfare to ban import of dried fruits from Tajikistan in connection of a polio outbreak reported in Tajikistan is politically motivated, Tajik expert Shahobiddin Ziyoyev said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, Russian authorities have been seeking an opportunity to make pressure on Tajikistan.  “The problem is Russian authorities have repeatedly given Tajikistan to know that Russia is not interested in completion of construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant without participation of the Russian capital.  They are especially zealous after recent official visit of Uzbek President Islam Karimov to Russia.  The Roghun HPP is a tasty morsel and Russia wants to glom onto it.  To achieve this end Russia will use all means.”

The expert reminded that at various times, Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Welfare had put bans on food products from other former Soviet republics as well.  “This agency is a kind of herald of foreign policy steps of the Russian leadership,” said Ziyoyev, “The ban on import of druid fruits is just the first step towards isolation of Tajikistan.”

He noted that Uzbekistan have also taken similar measures to suspend the construction of the Roghun station.

We will recall that Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Protection and Welfare on may 4 adopted the decision to put a temporal ban on the delivery of Tajik dried fruits and nuts to the Russian Federation due to the polio outbreak reported in Tajikistan.