DUSHANBE, September 6, Asia-Plus — Carlos Pinerua, the head of the mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Tajikistan, has questioned data of the CIS Committee for Statistics on the rate of inflation in Tajikistan. 

“We were surprised at these data and methodology, which is used by their specialists,” Carlos Pinerua remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on September 5.  

“According to figures provided by the CIS Committee for Statistics, over the first seven months of this year, the highest inflation among the CIS states has been reported in Tajikistan, where inflation for January-July stood at 18.3 percent,” said the IMF mission head, “But if you see how prices changed over 12 months, you will never arrive at conclusion that these data are true.” 

According to him, the inflation data provided by the CIS Committee for Statistics were also discussed at meeting of the IMF mission with Tajik officials.  “We asked the Government of Tajikistan to discuss this issue with representatives from the CIS Committee for Statistics and define, where the methodological mistake has been made.  We are waiting elucidations from them,” Pinerua said.   

According to him, inflation has to date stood at 9.4 percent in Tajikistan.  “And we have no reasons to question this figure,” the IMF official said.

At the same time, he noted that Tajik government’s intention to curb inflation in the country at the rate of 8 percent should be backed by appropriate actions.  “Curbing inflation at this rate should be in line with budgetary policy of the country, while the draft budget for the next year, which we considered during the mission’s visit, may not agree with an 8 percent   benchmark.”

We will recall that according to figures provided by the CIS Committee for Statistics, over the first seven months of this year, the highest inflation among CIS states has been reported in Tajikistan 18.3 percent, while an average inflation in CIS for January-July 2007 stood at 9 percent.  Tajikistan is followed by Azerbaijan, where inflation for the first seven months of this year stood at 15.9 percent.  In Moldova and Ukraine, inflation stood at 11.4 and 11.2 percent respectively.  

The IMF mission to Tajikistan led by Carlos Pinerua arrived in Tajikistan on August 30 to survey the country’s achievements in the macroeconomic sphere.  During their stay in Dushanbe, the mission members held talks with representatives from the country’s economic team.  The main purpose of the visit was for the mission to discuss with Tajik authorities macroeconomic policy for the end of 2007 and general parameters of the country’s budget for 2008 with a special focus on providing more balanced policy to reduce inflation.