DUSHANBE, January 11, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- As of January 1, 2012, the number of public servants in Tajikistan was estimated at 18,916, Grez Qosimov, the deputy head of the Public Service Directorate under the President of Tajikistan, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe yesterday.

 Qosimov noted that a special commission vetted 2,000 public servants last year.  “Of those vetted, 29 were dismissed and 160 were sent to take refresher courses.  41 public servants were promoted to higher grades,” said he.  “Besides, qualifications of 220 public servants did not meet their job requirements and positions of 59 pubic servants were downgraded.”