A number of new routes between the cities of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan may be launched in the near future, Minister of transport of Tajikistan Khudoer Khudoerzoda declared.
A regular bus service was opened between Khujand and Tashkent in mid-May. It was also planned to open new bus routes to other cities of Uzbekistan, but this issue had not been resolved so far.
Khudoer Khudoerzoda noted that it was only a matter of time, and the Ministry of transport had instructed to resolve this issue within one month.
“The states have certain fees for the transportation of passengers and cargo. The Uzbek government has abolished the additional fee for the entry and transit of cargo carrying vehicles and buses from Tajikistan after the signing of the intergovernmental agreement between the two states,” he said.
He said Tajikistan also needed to take a decision to abolish all duties on bus services from the neighboring country.
“We can launch the bus service now, but the existing costs of payment of duties in Tajikistan will affect the prices of tickets from Uzbekistan. The protocol has been signed, the Land transport department of the Ministry of transport of the Republic of Tajikistan is engaged now in the process of coordination with the ministries and departments of the country, and the bus service will be launched both on our and Uzbek side within a month”, said Khudoerzoda.
The minister noted that the issue of cancellation of payment for entry and transit of foreign freight transport and buses crossing the border of Uzbekistan with Tajikistan had also been resolved now.
Vehicles from Tajikistan can enter the territory of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, as well as Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan through the roads of Uzbekistan. (AzerNews/Business World Magazine)