Financial aid: extension to Tajikistan of the exceptional assistance for Armenia and Georgia

The committee adopted the report (consultation procedure) by Mr Gilles SAVARY (PES, F) approving the proposal on granting exceptional financial assistance to Tajikistan subject to a number of amendments. The report pointed out that the political and economic situation in Tajikistan and the surrounding region demanded an effort to achieve political and economic stability provided there was clear political and economic conditionality. It also noted that the need to resume assistance to Tajikistan had to be reconciled with the need to comply with the rules on budgetary effectiveness and consistence in Parliament's budgetary decisions. The amendments were therefore aimed at reflecting the fact that there were insufficient budget funds available to allow a grant to Tajikistan to be financed within the framework of the proposed macro-financial assistance. A specific amendment spelled out that the Union should increase assistance to Tajikistan in the form of grants, but that these must be funded from the appropriate budget headings. The committee also adopted an amendment aimed at ensuring that assistance was subject to specific political conditions linked to the peace process and the holding of elections under the proper conditions.