Category Archives: Uncategorised

Inflation hit utilities in Kazakhstan

MARCH 9 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Utility tariffs in Kazakhstan were 11.2% higher in February this year compared to February 2015, the state statistics agency said. The biggest cost rise was a near 20% increase in sewage charges imposed on households. Heating and hot water prices have risen by nearly 6% and rubbish collection by around 5%. The data is more evidence of a rise in the cost of living in Kazakhstan after the currency lost around 50% of its value last year.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 271, published on March 11 2016)

Kazakhstan acquits reporter’s charges

FEB. 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – A court in Almaty acquitted Yulia Kozlova, a journalist for nakanune.kz which is often critical of the authorities, of drug related charges. Ms Kozlova has said that the charges were politically motivated. Acquittals in Kazakhstan are extremely rare. It may be that the authorities are trying to deflect a barrage of negative criticism accusing them of cracking down on independent media.

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(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Kyrgyzstan debates NGO law, again

FEB. 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyz MPs have said that they are once again going to debate a controversial bill dubbed the “foreign agents’ law”. The bill was touted last year as being similar to one passed by Russia in 2012 that made it more difficult for NGOs to receive funding from overseas. The West has been increasingly concerned by what it has said is a trend by Kyrgyzstan to move towards Russia and away from the more liberal values that it had once appeared to embrace.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Kazakh court fines Karachaganak

MARCH 2 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – A Kazakh court fined the consortium operating the Karachaganak gas and condensate field in the north of the country 526b tenge ($1.5m) for environmental damage. The court said the KPO consortium emitted around 43.8 tonnes of pollutants into the atmosphere between April and July 2015. KPO consortium shareholders include BG Group, ENI, Chevron, Lukoil and state-owned Kazmunaigas.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

S&P downgrades Kazakhstan’s Baiterek

FEB. 26 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit ratings for Baiterek Holding from BBB-/A-3 to BB+/B. S&P said “the likelihood of extraordinary government support to the consolidated Baiterek group [is] almost certain”. It said its negative outlook mirrors that of the agency’s latest assessment of Kazakh sovereign credit. Baiterek’s subsidiaries include the Development Bank of Kazakhstan and the Investment Fund of Kazakhstan.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Moody’s downgrades Uzbek Khamkorbank

FEB. 26 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Rating agency Moody’s cut Khamkorbank’s long-term local currency deposit rating to B2 from B1. In February, the Uzbek Central Bank suspended the bank’s licence to trade foreign currencies for six months. The World Bank’s IFC and the Netherlands’ state-owned FMO own stakes in Khamkorbank.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Amnesty criticises Kazakhstan

MARCH 3 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Amnesty International accused the authorities in Kazakhstan of turning a blind eye to torture and the mistreatment of prisoners. The human rights group said the authorities often didn’t bother to investigate torture cases alleged against police and prison staff. The criticism will embarrass Kazakhstan which has said it had improved the treatment of prisoners.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Tajik town renames itself Rakhmonabod after Pres. Rakhmon

MARCH 3 2016, DUSHANBE (The Conway Bulletin) — Tajikistan’s senate approved a request from a small town in the east of the country to be renamed Rakhmonabod, after President Emomali Rakhmon, as a thank you for his prompt aid after a flood in 2015. Villagers of Pitovdasht, in the mountainous Gorno-Badakhsan region, officially applied for the name change last September.

Residents said they wanted this to be a symbol of gratitude for Mr Rakhmon, president of Tajikistan since the mid-1990s, who fulfilled his promise of building 82 new homes after the flooding.

In July 2015, the region was hit hard by floods after glaciers melted and over 10,000 people had to be resettled.

Observers have said the town’s name change lies somewhere between genuine gratitude and the president’s cult of personality.

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(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Turkmen President reshuffles government

MARCH 2 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Turkmenistan’s President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov replaced the heads of the National Security Service and the Border Service, key government positions. Obstentiously the changes were made for health reasons and for a job transfer. Mr Berdymukhamedov has been increasingly vocal about improving border security with Afghanistan where the Taliban have become increasingly powerful.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)

Kazakh telecoms launch 4G

MARCH 2 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Telecoms companies in Kazakhstan are rolling out 4G services after the government opened the market up to competition at the end of 2015. Tele2 Kazakhstan said it launched 4G services in several central and eastern districts in Kazakhstan, building on its merger with Altel in November. Before the market was liberalised, Altel had been the only licensee of 4G services. Kcell and Beeline also said they will launch pilot 4G coverage in major cities.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 270, published on March 4 2016)