DUSHANBE, November 13, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan’s Center for Strategic Studies has completed the second stage of its sociological survey on problems of corruption and submitted it for consideration to the UNDP.  

Abduvohid Shamolov, the head of the center’s department for national strategy and socioeconomic programs, told Asia-Plus that the survey exposes the reasons for corruption in 24 districts of the country.  “The center experts have carried out an opinion poll among specialists from different organizations and officials,” said Shamolov, “The poll has covered 5 percent of the population in these districts.”  According to him, they plan to present a report on the results of the second stage of the survey in early December.  The survey is conducted under financial support of the UNDP Country Office in Tajikistan. 

The center experts do not agree with the results of a Transparency International 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranked Tajikistan, with a score of 2.1, 144th along with the Congo, Kenya, Pakistan, Paraguay, Somalia, and Sudan.  The CPI ranks more than 150 countries by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.  Shamolov claimed that the survey is based on polling 20-30 persons, mainly shuttle traders and tourists, who are not able to truly assess the corruption situation in Tajikistan.  He expressed hope Transparency International will review its data after they present their survey.