DUSHANBE, April 21, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament has endorsed amendments to the country’s budget for 2011.

A regular sitting of the fourth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the second convocation, presided over by its head, Shukurjon Zuhurov, was held on April 21.

Presenting the bill requiring amendments to the 2011 national budget, Minister of Finance Safarali Najmiddinov noted that the amendments provided for exemption of special means of the Foreign Ministry, diplomatic missions and consular institutions of the country from all types of taxes.

According to him, this is done in order to speed up financing of construction of a new building for the MFA in Dushanbe.

“An estimated budget for construction of the new MFA building is 66 million somoni,” the minister said, noting that this year’s budget earmarked 19.4 million somoni for construction of this facility.

Najmiddinov noted that due to exemption of special means of the MFA and its representative offices from taxes some 3.3 million somoni would annually go to financing the construction of the new building for the MFA.