DUSHANBE, April 23, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan has temporarily suspended issuance of entry visas at airport.

According to the Tajik authorities, the issuance of entry visas at airport has been temporarily suspended for technical reasons.  Some sources, however, attribute the suspension to a conference the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) is expected to hold on April 27 on occasion of its 40th anniversary.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the issuance of entry visas at airport is suspended from April 20 to April 29 for technical reasons – lack of communications between the consular office at Dushanbe International Airport and the MFA Consular Directorate.

“The work of the communications service system will be restored till the next Monday, April 29,” an official source at the MFA Consular Directorate said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revival Party has invited some 200 foreign guests to the conference dedicated to its jubilee and more than half of them will not be able to participate in the conference.

“Some 200 foreign guests have been invited to attend the conference and the majority of them will come from countries with which Tajikistan has visa regime,” the IRP leader Muhiddin Kabiri.

Abduqahhor Davlat, the head of the IRP department for international cooperation, says Tajik diplomatic missions abroad have refused to issue visas to the IRP guests until May 1.

“We sent an official letter to the Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi with solicitation to help solve this problem and the letter was registered with the MFA general service department at the end of last week.”  “170 foreign guests have confirmed their participation in the IRP jubilee events, but because of the visa issuance problems only 30 percent of them will be able to arrive in Dushanbe.”     

According to information received, more than 80 foreign nations have failed to receive visas at Dushanbe International Airport by April 24 and they have been forced to return to their countries.

Tajikistan has reportedly eased visa requirements for citizens of 80 countries.