Tajik Air Chief Fired After Complaining About State Bias

By RFE/RL's Tajik Service

The chief of the Tajik Air State Aviation Company has been fired just hours after he complained to journalists about government bias.

Firuz Hamroev, the general director of Tajik Air, said at a press conference in Dushanbe that his company’s main competitor, Somon Air, enjoyed better business opportunities because it has been allocated more lucrative international flights by the government.

Somon Air is controlled by the private Oryon Bank, which is owned by Hasan Asadullozoda, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's brother-in-law.

Hours after Hamroev's press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Azim Ibrohim announced that Hamroev was being replaced by Rustam Halikov, who previously ran Dushanbe's international airport.

Many of Rahmon's direct and distant relatives either own or have lucrative positions in Tajikistan's leading enterprises and businesses.