Expensive Plants for a Poor Country: Tajikistan Spends Millions on Belgian Trees · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

The authorities in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, have decided that expensive foreign trees are the best replacement for the hundreds of decade-old sycamores they fell annually. According to Ozodagon [ru], a local news agency, the authorities have imported over 3,000 chestnut trees from Belgium. Each tree costs about 1,500 US dollars, bringing the total cost of imported plants to about $4.5 million.
Angered by the news, Tomiris writes [ru] in her blog:
…Мы что живём по принципу “дорого = хорошо”?
Ответьте мне, ну какого х.. покупать такие дорогие деревья такой бедной стране? Чем их не устраивают бесплатные деревья, которые можно вырастить самим? 1500 долларов это средняя месячная пенсия 37 человек! Это средняя месячная зарплата 10 учителей или врачей!..
Мне одной кажется, что наше правительство окончательно е..нулось?
…Do we live according to the principle “expensive = good”?
Can someone tell me why the f..k does such a poor country buy such expensive trees? What don't they like about the free trees that can be grown locally? $1,500 makes 37 average monthly pensions! It makes 10 monthly salaries paid to teachers or doctors!..
Am I the only one who thinks that our government has gone f..king crazy?
Tomiris also tweets the story, sparking many reactions:
Tajikistan has bought 3,000 Belgian chestnut trees for Dushanbe. Each tree costs about $1,500 #whatthefuck #insane #onlyintajikistan
— Томирис (@tomiristj) March 3, 2014
For a perspective: $1,500 (cost of one tree) is 37 average monthly pensions or 10 monthly teacher or doctor salaries #onlyintajikistan
— Томирис (@tomiristj) March 3, 2014
@tomiristj Dushanbe has a confused Mayor & passive residents. I just hope the trees will survive in the hell of summer & city's mismangement
— eTajikistan (@eTajikistan) March 3, 2014
@tomiristj Вот увидите, они еще землю закупят особую, в которую эти деревья высаживать – по $2000 долларов на дерево.
— Джура Охотник (@jurathehunter) March 3, 2014
@tomiristj You'll see, they will also purchase special soil for these trees – at $2,000 per tree.
@eTajikistan @tomiristj Wow. I wonder how much they will spend on grass to plant under the trees.
— Mahina Shodizoda (@mahinashodizoda) March 3, 2014
@tomiristj Why would they cut the beautiful massive shade trees to begin with?! What the city government is doing is ecocide, criminal …
— eTajikistan (@eTajikistan) March 3, 2014