Author Archives: Editor

Pashinyan accused of nepotism

JAN. 10 2022 (The Bulletin) — Three Armenian NGOs accused PM Nikol Pashinyan of nepotism after he appointed his childhood friend, Vahe Ghazaryan, as interior minister. They pulled out of a high-profile project with the government to reform the Armenian police, often accused of being corrupt and incompetent. Mr Ghazaryan has been head of Armenia’s national police force since 2020. Mr Pashinyan approved the re-establishment of the interior ministry in December, two decades after it was disbanded. Its main job is to organise and monitor the police.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

UAE’s Masdar signs deal to build solar power plant in Kyrgyzstan

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JAN. 10 2023 (The Bulletin) — The UAE’s Masdar has signed a deal to build a 200MW solar power station in Kyrgyzstan, media reported. Kyrgyzstan, like the rest of the Central Asia region, needs to ramp up its electricity production fast. It has also come under major criticism for the collapse in the quality of air around Bishkek.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Saakashvili is suffering from dementia and spasms – US neurologist

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JAN. 9 2023 (The Bulletin) — A US neurologist told a court in Georgia that former Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili is seriously ill and suffering from dementia and spasms. The neurologist also said that Saakashvili was too ill to face a trial. Saakashvili has been in prison since he returned from self-imposed exile in 2021. He is accused of various abuses of power when he was Georgia’s president between 2004-13 but has protested his innocence through hunger strikes.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Kazakh government sets up “yurts of invincibility” in Ukraine

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JAN. 6 2023 (The Bulletin) — The Kazakh government set up two so-called “yurts of invincibility” in Kyiv and Bucha to give people warm food and drinks and allow them to power up their mobile phones. Ukraine’s government has set up various “points of invincibility” to help people cope with a bombing campaign by Russia aimed at knocking out civilian heat and power sources. Russia has accused Kazakhstan of siding with its enemies.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Energy ministers agree to build hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan

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JAN. 6 2023 (The Bulletin) — The energy ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan signed a deal to develop a major hydropower station in Kyrgyzstan which they hope will help to ease pressure on the region’s power production capacity. Plans to build Kambarata HPP-1 in Kyrgyzstan’s Jalalabad region have been on the drawing board for years and signing the deal is considered a major regional diplomatic success. Construction is scheduled to take up to 10 years. Central Asia’s power grid systems are interconnected.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Turkey lifts ban on sending cargo flights to Armenia

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JAN. 6 2023 (The Bulletin) — Turkey lifted a ban on cargo flights to Armenia, part of its package to “normalise” relations. The move was agreed in July 2022 and is designed to lay the foundations for the slow opening of the Armenia-Turkey border. There have been no diplomatic or trade relations between Turkey and Armenia since 1993 when the border was closed. Armenia and Turkey have agreed to open the border to citizens of third countries although they have not put a timeline on this.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Azerbjainan’s energy fund SOFAz denies it plans to buy Latvian gas firm

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JAN. 5 2023 (The Bulletin) — Azerbaijan’s energy wealth fund SOFAZ was forced to deny that it intended to buy Latvia’s biggest gas trading company Lavija Gaze after some news agencies reported that it would shortly become the biggest shareholder. SOFAZ’s cash pile has been swelled by huge inflows from oil and gas sales this year and analysts have said that it is looking to buy assets, especially in Europe.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Iranian chess player loses hijab for Kazakh chess tournament

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JAN. 3 2023 (The Bulletin) — A female Iranian chess player who removed her hijab at a chess tournament in Kazakhstan in solidarity with protesters in Iran fled into exile in Spain. Sara Khadem was told that she wouldn’t be safe if she returned to Iran any time soon. Women in Iran are required to wear a hijab, although not in Kazakhstan.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Poisonous cough medicine kills 19 children in Uzbekistan

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JAN. 2 2023 (The Bulletin) — Poisonous cough medicine has killed at least 19 children in Uzbekistan, officials said. The Doc-1 Max cough medicine, produced by Indian manufacturer Marion Biotech, reportedly contained excessive levels of toxins used to make antifreeze. All Doc-1 Max products have now been withdrawn from Uzbekistan and reports said that Uzbek police had arrested several officials who had approved the cough medicine. Campaigners say the authorities need to tighten up their oversight of drugs sold in Uzbekistan.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2023

Mirziyoyev promises to slash civil service

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DEC. 28 2022 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekistan’s Pres. Shavkat Mirziyoyev pledged to slash the size of the country’s bureaucracy by 30% to save up to $250m. His detractors have called the pledge a gimmick designed to deflect negative headlines, mainly around corruption and a lack of gas and power for households.

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— This story was published in issue 532 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on Jan. 16 2023