Corruption in the field of international transport in Tajikistan is distressing

The Ministry of Transport complains about the “human” factor.

Since the beginning of this year, the prices for border crossing permits for freight transport between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have changed. Tajik drivers of heavy trucks can enter Uzbekistan through 13 checkpoints. The “Fotekhobod-Oybek” checkpoint in the Matchin district is considered one of the main crossing points between the two countries.

Radio Ozodi reported in early February about the long queues at the “Fotekhobod-Oybek” checkpoint on the Tajik-Uzbek border. Key officials in the Ministry of Transport reacted positively, and the queue has thinned. However, according to anonymous sources, the shortage of permits for crossing the border persists, and the stated amount equivalent to 60 USD has actually doubled.

Previously, Azim Ibrohim, the Minister of Transport, stated at a press conference in Dushanbe that the Tajik side is completely dependent on permits from the Uzbek side. However, he also mentioned that there are intermediaries among Tajik structures close to the Ministry of Transport who sell permits, and possibly the “human” factor plays a “depressing” role. The actual prices for permits for drivers exceed the nominal price by twofold. However, the minister did not specify the reason for the emergence of intermediaries, promising that in the future, the acquisition of permits will be carried out without intermediaries or through cashless payments. Radio Ozodi reports that the minister made a similar promise two years ago.

The corruption scheme of the Ministry of Transport is structured in such a way that there are intermediary firms, totaling 76 legal entities, authorized to sell licenses for long-haul drivers; more permits are obtained by those organizations whose vehicle fleet has a large number of trucks. The company “Tajikvneshtrans” has more than 400 freight trucks in its fleet, and this company is related to the former company “Faroz,” to Shamsullo Sokhibov, the son-in-law of the President of Tajikistan, which operates under a different name now. This area of issuing permits for freight transport to neighboring countries is not transparent and creates grounds for monopolization and price increases. According to the Ministry of Transport, about 80,000 permits were sold in 2023 for a total of at least 8 million dollars.