Tag Archives: Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz econ minister slams Eurasian Economic Union

BISHKEK, OCT. 4 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Joining the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has made conditions worse for Kyrgyz businesses, economy minister Arzybek Kozhoshev said in some of the harshest criticism so far levelled at the Kremlin-focused project.

Kyrgyzstan joined the EEU last August but has always been a reluctant partner — the other partners are Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus — with businesses speaking out about the extra red tape and the risk of damaging important trade relations with China.

Now Mr Kozhoshev said that data showed extent of the damage.

“The first year in the EEU has not shown any positive results yet. Some economic indexes have worsened and export volumes have dropped,” Mr Kozhoshev said at a business forum.

“Textile exports dropped by 21.5% in the first half of the year compared to last year. Dairy products exports also fell by 24% in the same period. Our trade partners have created artificial barriers for our manufacturers.”

Kyrgyzstan’s economy has been under pressure, much like the rest of the region, but Mr Kozhoshev’s message was clear. Much of the problem, he said, was down to the EEU.

Coincidentally the two main architects of the EEU, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, were meeting in Astana for a Kazakhstan- Russia Business Forum. They had a very different take on the EEU.

During the session, Mr Nazarbayev lauded the EEU and encouraged all ministers to recount a positive story about the bloc.

“The Eurasian Economic Union is a key element in the revival of the Great Silk Road,” he was quoted by media as saying.

Some analysts in the West have said the driving force, and the Kremlin’s main aim, behind the EEU was political rather than economic.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 299, published on Oct. 7 2016)

Kyrgyzstan’s reservoir water level increases

SEPT. 26 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Water levels at Toktogul, a key reservoir in Kyrgyzstan, have increased to a four year-high, prompting the government to reassure people about winter electricity supplies. Tagzhana Aidaraliyeva, a spokesperson for the company managing Toktogul said water levels have reached 17.4b cubic metres in mid-September. In 2014, water levels had fallen to 11.9b cubic metres, forcing Kyrgyzstan to increase electricity imports and ration its distribution.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyzstan approves constitutional referendum

BISHKEK, SEPT. 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Kyrgyzstan’s parliament approved President Almazbek Atambayev’s plans to hold a referendum at on Dec. 4 on altering the constitution to give the PM more power.

The planned constitutional reforms are controversial.

Kyrgyzstan’s current constitution was organised in 2010 after a revolution. To many, it feels that changing it now would be an insult to those people who died in that revolution.

Opposition groups also accuse Mr Atambayev of wanting to move into the PM’s position once he leaves the presidency next year and it has also triggered a fall out with his highly regarded predecessor, Roza Otunbayeva.

In Bishkek opinion was split.

“I think the changes are needed because everyone talks about them in the media,” said Elnur, a 32-year-old driver. Samat, 24, disagreed.

“We do not need changes,” he said. “The whole process reminds me of former presidents of Kyrgyzstan.”

Two former presidents were overthrown after trying to change the constitution.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyzstan’s ex-PM to run?

SEPT. 23 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Temir Sariyev, Kyrgyzstan’s ex-PM, hinted at his possible participation in next year’s presidential election. Mr Sariyev, 53, who resigned in April to face corruption allegations, continues to be a powerful figure in Kyrgyzstan. In an interview with RFE/RL, Mr Sariyev said that he had major plans for the future.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyz court sentences islamists

SEPT. 29 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan’s National Security Committee said a court in Osh jailed four alleged members of the extremist IS group. The two Kyrgyz and two Uzbek citizens, whose names were kept secret, received sentences of between 10 and 18 years in prison for planning terrorist attacks in the country. In August, a suicide bomber drove a car through the Chinese embassy gates in Bishkek injuring several people.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyz Central Bank keeps rate unchanged

SEPT. 26 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Citing falling prices and signs that the economy is beginning to grow again, Kyrgyzstan’s Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged at 6%. The Central Bank said that only by keeping rates at 6% will it be able to let prices increase gently, within a 5-7% corridor. This year, the Central Bank has reduced interest rates twice from a level of 10% in January.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyzstan-gold miner raises cash

SEPT. 28 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyzstan-focused miner Chaarat Gold said it raised £4.1m ($5.3m) by issuing 78.8m new shares in London. Labro Investments, which previously held a 25.6% stake in the company, will raise its ownership to 31.7%. Last week, Martin Andersson, owner of Labro Investments, was named non-executive chairman of the British Virgin Islands-registered company.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

ADB funds road in Kyrgyzstan

SEPT. 28 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed to issue $95m in loans and grants to Kyrgyzstan for the reconstruction of the North-South Corridor, a vital road link. The Eurasian Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Saudi Fund for Development and China’s Export-Import Bank are also participating in the reconstruction of the road.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Kyrgyz President recovers

SEPT. 27 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev’s health has improved after he underwent medical treatment in Moscow and he is likely to return home at the weekend, his staff said in a statement. Mr Atambayev cancelled a trip to attend a session of the UN General Assembly in New York last week after complaining of chest pains during a layover in Turkey.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)

Referendum season

SEPT. 30 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – >> Azerbaijan held a referendum this week to tweak its constitution. Didn’t Tajikistan have one in May and hasn’t Kyrgyzstan said it will hold one in December. What’s with all these referendums?

>> The autocrat’s textbook says that every so often you need to call up a referendum to make changes, big or minor, to the constitution, and also to show off just how popular you are. They all have their peculiarities and differences, but leaders from Central Asia and the South Caucasus have all played the referendum card.

In May, 92% of Tajikistan’s voting population turned up to extend presidential powers.

This week, a referendum in Azerbaijan proposed 29 small-scale amendments to the Constitution, which were overwhelmingly adopted, of course.

In the coming months, Kyrgyzstan is likely to have a referendum to grant more powers to the PM.

In previous years, countries across the region have held several referendums. Essentially the aim has been to change the Constitution to allow the incumbent to remain in power by scraping limits on terms, age caps, the length of each term.

>> OK, but are these changes meaningful? Do they have a real impact on politics?

>>These kinds of referendums can be meaningful. From a legal point of view, they change the law. They scrap age requirements to become president — as was the case in Tajikistan and Azerbaijan — and transfer powers from the president to the PM — like Kyrgyzstan’s referendum proposes.

In practice, however, their main aim is for the presidents to retain power or to transfer it to their offspring. There have been notable, and honourable exceptions, of course but not many.

Tajikistan’s referendum this year scrapped limits on presidential terms and lowered the age that a person can run for president to 30 from 35, potentially allowing President Rakhmon’s son, Rustam Emomali, to run for office in 2020.

Azerbaijan had already scrapped limits on presidential term in a referendum in 2009. This time round it lowered the age requirement to 18 from 35 and gave the president the right to dissolve Parliament. President Aliyev’s son Heydar is 19 now. This may be a coincidence, of course.

>> And what about Kyrgyzstan?

>> Kyrgyzstan is a little different. President Almazbek Atambayev will have to leave office next year after his term expires. Some have speculated that, in an effort to avoid losing power he is trying to strengthen the office of PM where he would like to return once he steps down next year.

Certainly his reasons for supporting changes to the constitution are not entirely clear.

The key difference, once again, with other countries in Central Asia, is that Kyrgyzstan’s democracy has advanced further.

>> So, essentially, most of the more seriously autocratic leaders in the region, that’s Azerbaijan and Central Asia with the exception of Kyrgyzstan, have all used referendums to improve their chances of holding on to power? By contrast Georgia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan have held referendums in the last few years to boost the power of Parliament over the presidency? Is that right?

>>More of less, although it is important to understand that the drivers of referendums in Georgia, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan can also lie in self-interest with incumbent presidents hoping to hold on to power by becoming PM.

ENDS

(News report from Issue No. 298, published on Sept. 30 2016)