DUSHANBE, December 25, Asia-Plus  -- Addressing a December 25 meeting with participation of Tajik entrepreneurs, President Rahmon charged the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) with speeding up implementation of procedures on Tajikistan’s joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).   

Concerning foreign economic relations of Tajikistan with other countries, the president noted that Tajikistan now has foreign economic relations with more than 90 countries.   

The head of state charged the government to work out a program for development of the country’s export potentials.   

Dwelling on the law on inspection on economic entities, Rahmon charged the State Committee for investment and Management of State-owned Property and the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption with tightening control of implementation of that law.   

On the procedure of registration of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Rahmon commissioned the government with simplifying it.   

The head of state, in particular, noted that over the past years, a procedure of licensing certain types of activities has been considerably simplified and urged to continue work in that direction.   

Dwelling on entrepreneurs working on the basis of patent, the president pointed to the necessity of simplifying a procedure of collection of tax from patent holders and reducing tax rates for them.  

Concerning the tax evasion problem, Rahmon noted that tax evasion cases for a total amount of 51 million somonis have been revealed in the country over the last three years.   

He charged the Ministry of Finance and the Tax Committee with preparing proposals on improvement of collection of taxes from retail trade taxes.