Rahmon violated his own law?

Emomali Rahmon violated the law on the very first day of 2024 by signing three decrees for holding competitions.

According to official information, on January 1, 2024, Emomali Rahmon signed a decree to hold the republican competition “Tajikistan – My Beloved Homeland,” a decree to hold the republican competition “The Wisdom of Dawn – a Book,” and a decree to hold the republican competition “Science – the Beacon of Enlightenment.” In doing so, President Rahmon violated a previously signed decree “On Measures to Expand Cashless Payments.”

For the organization of these republican competitions, Emomali Rahmon instructed the Ministry of Finance of the country to allocate 12,440,000 (twelve million four hundred forty thousand) somoni in cash to the Executive Office of the President from the reserve fund of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, allocated for 2024.

At the same time, on June 22, 2023, Emomali Rahmon decreed that starting from August 1, 2023, “taxes, state duties for issuing permits and licenses, other mandatory payments to the budget, fines, funds for mandatory state insurance, medical services, utility services, other types of state services, as well as the acceptance of cash by ministries, agencies, and state organizations should be carried out in cashless form.”

The Executive Office of the President of Tajikistan is considered a state organization. In his decree of June 22, 2023, Emomali ordered to “prohibit the acceptance of payment for paid services in cash by ministries, agencies, state organizations, and credit financial organizations of the republic.”

It is worth noting that Tajikistan is considered one of the most corrupt countries in the world. In his previous speeches, President Emomali Rahmon has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of corruption within his government and condemned corrupt officials.

In his latest annual address to parliament, delivered a few days ago, he criticized government members, other leaders, and government officials, stating: “We, the leaders, from the highest to the lowest level, think only of our insatiable souls!”