Tajikistan’s Accounts Chamber uncovers misappropriations and tax evasion in Amonatbonk

15:01, todayAuthor: Asia-Plus

Over the first six months of this year, the Accounts Chamber of Tajikistan has identified financial violations amounting to 183.9 million somonis, an increase of 87.1 million somonis compared to the same period last year. These violations were discovered during 67 financial audits in state-run institutions and agencies, as reported by the chairman of the Accounts Chamber, Qarakhon Chillazoda, at a news conference in Dushanbe on August 9.

The total reportedly includes 39.8 million somonis of misappropriated funds, 1.6 million somonis of illegally appropriated assets, and 12 million somonis in inflated costs for repair and construction works. Additionally, losses from the sale and lease of state property amounted to 1.6 million somonis, and financial losses totaled 40.4 million somonis. Hidden and unaccounted funds have reportedly reached 81.6 million somonis, with unpaid mandatory and other payments to the national budget amounting to 15.4 million somonis, and unpaid government shares totaling 4.8 million somonis.

Specifically, in the state-owned savings bank Amonatbonk, the Accounts Chamber has reportedly identified 3.1 million somonis in illegal financial expenses, 6 million somonis in underreported and concealed taxes, and 537,100 somonis in violations related to repair and construction work.

Financial violations totaling 5.8 million somonis have also been identified during budget assessments in the cities of Konibodom and Guliston in the Sughd province. These funds have been fully reimbursed to the budget.

Similar budget violations totaling 6.3 million somonis have been revealed during the audit of the formation and execution of local budgets of the Vose district and the Khatlon province. The funds have been fully reimbursed to the budget.

Chillazoda stated that special audits are being conducted to ensure the targeted and efficient use of funds allocated to investment projects. For instance, financial violations amounting to 429,800 somonis have been uncovered in the Comprehensive Maternal and Child Health Services Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

The head of the Accounts Chamber added that most of the identified funds have been recovered, and 19 cases totaling 8.4 million somonis have been sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Agency for State Financial Control and Combating Corruption, and the State Committee for National Security for further investigation and appropriate action.

However, Chillazoda did not provide information on the number of individuals held accountable, and it remains unknown how many people have been punished for financial violations.

Previously, the country’s anticorruption agency had reported financial losses of over 200 million somonis identified over the first nine months of 2023.

Tajikistan’s lower chamber (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament passed the law on the establishment of the Accounts Chamber on June 1, 2011. This government institution reportedly controls revenue and expenditure parts of the national budget, off-budget funds and investments coming into the country’s economy from abroad. The Accounts Chamber was reportedly established to tighten control of finances as well as conduct audit and assess the national budget. The Accounts Chamber is accountable to the President and the Parliament. The Majlisi Namoyandagon elects chief auditors of the Chamber of Accounts upon the recommendation of the President; chief auditor may be elected to not more than two seven-year terms.

Amonatbonk is the only state-owned bank in Tajikistan. Established in 1925, it is one of the oldest banks in the country and one of the largest based upon various criteria – including the number of branches and the number of served clients.

The institution is unique in its orientation towards implementing social, pension and other state programs. Amonatbonk has 5 regional centers, 69 branches and more than 500 agencies. This gives the institution a presence in the most remote mountainous parts of the country.