DUSHANBE, October 20, Asia-Plus - Sherali Gulov, the head of the State

Committee for Management of State-owned Property, told a news conference in Dushanbe on October 19 that the government has endorsed projects to restructure two large enterprises, Tojikcement’s Dushanbe cement plant and Tajik Telecom, the national telecommunication operator. 

According to him, the restructuring of Tojikcement presupposes establishment of three joint-stock companies. The Czech Republic intends to invest 25 million euros (some US $30 million) in this project. ”Of this amount, US $5.7 million will be a loan provided by the Czech company Stroyirine Kosere,” Gulov said, noting that the cement plant needs major repairs.  Modernization will enable the plant to increase its daily production of cement from 1,500 tons to 1,800 tons, according to him. 

The restructuring plan for Tajik Telecom is designed to improve the telecommunications services rendered by the company. The estimated budget for the project is US $27 million. China’s Exim (Export/Import) Bank will invest US $22.8 million in the project. 

Speaking to journalists, the committee head noted that several other large enterprises such as Tamokhush, Khimzavod, Teleradiocom, Tajikkhimporm and Tojikgaz have also submitted restructuring plans to the government commission for restructuring 37 large enterprises and natural monopolies for consideration. 

Gulov noted that throughout Tajikistan over the past nine months, 581 real estate properties were privatized and, since the beginning of privatization, 9,288, including 8,341small and 947 medium-sized and large enterprises. Monitoring by the commission has shown that 76.3 percent of the privatized facilities are operating successfully. In all, 10,440 state-owned properties are subject to privatization.