Kyrgyzstan Local Politics - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kyrgyz Security Agency Condemns Osh Mayor’s City Toll Plan

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) has sharply criticized a controversial proposal by the mayor of Osh, the country's second-largest city, to introduce an entry fee for vehicles arriving from other regions. Mayor Jenishbek Toktorbayev raised the idea earlier this week during a municipal meeting focused on identifying new sources of revenue for the city budget. Arguing that Osh cannot rely indefinitely on central government support from Bishkek, Toktorbayev floated the possibility of charging motorists for access to the city. According to the mayor, Osh is home to over 500,000 residents, with the population exceeding 800,000 when accounting for daily inflows from neighboring areas. “About 56,000 vehicles enter Osh each day, leading to traffic jams, accidents, and air pollution,” he said. Toktorbayev proposed charging 50–100 KGS (approximately $0.60-$1.15) per car and 100-150 KGS per truck, estimating that such fees could generate around 2 million KGS daily. This could add up to an additional 3 billion KGS (roughly $34.5 million) in annual revenue for the city budget. However, the SCNS issued a strong rebuke, calling the idea unacceptable. In a statement cited by local media, the agency warned that the financial burden would disproportionately affect ordinary citizens, particularly low-income families. It added that higher delivery costs would likely be passed on to consumers, driving up prices for goods and services. The Committee urged all mayors and local officials to refrain from proposing such "crazy ideas" and instead focus on addressing the real challenges facing their constituents. Following public backlash and the SCNS statement, the Osh municipal government's Facebook page, which previously contained details about the mayor’s proposal, has become inaccessible. The notion of charging vehicle entry fees is not new in Kyrgyzstan. Last year, a similar proposal was floated for Bishkek as a potential solution to the capital’s worsening traffic congestion. However, President Sadyr Japarov rejected the idea, instead ordering the expansion of road infrastructure and the construction of new parking facilities. The Times of Central Asia has previously reported on Mayor Toktorbayev’s active economic agenda. Notably, his urban development plans have sparked public opposition, including from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kyrgyzstan, who urged city authorities not to demolish a historic cemetery to make way for a new road.

Business & Economy Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Local Politics Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Kyrgyzstan Delays Opening of Alternative North-South Highway to 2026

Kyrgyzstan has pushed back the opening of its long-anticipated alternative North-South highway to 2026, according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The route was originally slated to open in May 2025, but the timeline has been extended to accommodate additional infrastructure work. The delay stems from plans to construct two avalanche protection galleries, three overpass bridges, and a 25-kilometer bypass section between the villages of Barpy and Safarovka. The ministry confirmed that all additional construction will be completed by 2026. The 433-kilometer highway is a strategic transport corridor linking Balykchy in the Issyk-Kul region with Jalal-Abad in the south. Notably, approximately 200 kilometers of the route traverse areas where no roads previously existed. Key engineering achievements along the route include Kyrgyzstan’s longest tunnel, located at the Kok-Art mountain pass, and two major overpass bridges. Once operational, the highway is expected to cut travel time between Jalal-Abad and Balykchy from 13 hours to just six. Currently, the only existing route connecting Kyrgyzstan’s northern and southern regions is the Bishkek-Osh highway. The new North-South corridor is expected to dramatically enhance both passenger and freight transportation between the regions, especially in the absence of a direct railway connection.

Uzbekistan Local Politics Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan Local Politics Uzbekistan Local Politics

Kyrgyz Lawmaker Challenges $15 Tint Fee for Drivers Crossing into Uzbekistan

Kyrgyz drivers crossing into Uzbekistan are being charged a $15 fee if their vehicle windows are tinted, a policy that has drawn criticism from Kyrgyz lawmaker Dastan Bekeshev. Speaking during an April 2 session of the Jogorku Kenesh (Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan), Bekeshev urged the government to either introduce a reciprocal fee for Uzbek vehicles entering Kyrgyzstan or to negotiate with Tashkent to eliminate the charge altogether. Addressing Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, Bekeshev explained that many Kyrgyz citizens regularly travel between Jalal-Abad and Batken, routes that often require passage through Uzbek territory. “They charge $15 for every car with tinted rear windows, almost every day. But we don’t charge them anything,” he said. The fee is collected via Uzbekistan’s MBANK mobile application, streamlining payment for drivers. Many Kyrgyz citizens consider the charge unjustified and burdensome. Tinting regulations differ significantly between the two countries. In Kyrgyzstan, individuals must pay 50,000 KGS (around $576) annually to tint their vehicle windows, while businesses pay 70,000 KGS (about $807). In Uzbekistan, rear window tinting is permitted at no cost, but tinting front windows costs approximately 3 million UZS (around $234) per year. Kulubaev acknowledged that the issue had not been formally raised before but assured lawmakers that it would be examined. “We can discuss this on a mutual basis and bring it up at an intergovernmental commission meeting,” he stated. Uzbekistan introduced the $15 fee in 2018 through a government decree aimed at regulating vehicle window tinting. Proceeds from the fee are directed to the state budget. The debate now centers on whether Kyrgyzstan should adopt a reciprocal policy or seek a bilateral agreement to eliminate the fee, a decision that may set a precedent for broader discussions on regional transportation and cross-border regulations.

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Bishkek Continues Controversial Stray Dog Culling Amid Criticism and Lack of Resources

In 2024, Bishkek authorities received 158 citizen requests to capture and eliminate stray animals, all of which were fulfilled. According to official data, 14,378 stray dogs were captured and killed over the course of the year in the Kyrgyz capital. Despite longstanding regulations mandating humane treatment, sterilization, vaccination, and release, city officials cite a lack of resources and infrastructure as the reason for continuing the practice of mass culling. The current rules were approved by the Bishkek City Council in 2002. “There are no municipal shelters for stray animals in Bishkek,” the City Council stated in official documents. “As a result, the municipal enterprise Tazalyk is forced to shoot stray dogs.” Officials argue that ending the practice would require the construction of an animal shelter, but such a project is not accounted for in the city’s budget. “Around the world, animal shelters are usually established by charitable organizations and public foundations,” said First Deputy Mayor Mirlanbek Baigonchokov, defending the administration’s inaction. The mayor’s office noted that stray dog shootings were temporarily halted in 2021, but resumed following what it described as numerous public complaints. From 2015 to 2024, Bishkek health institutions registered 1,391 dog bite cases, 949 of which involved children. Tazalyk reports that it costs approximately 430 Kyrgyz soms (about $5) to eliminate a single stray dog. This cost covers one bullet, a disposal bag, the hunter’s salary, and a contribution to the Social Fund. However, animal welfare experts argue that culling is not only inhumane but ineffective. “Shooting does not work. In fact, the number of stray animals increases every year,” said Tazalyk Director Zholdosh Chushtukov. “We need a different approach. We propose mandatory sterilization and castration.”

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Kyrgyz Drivers to Face On-the-Spot Traffic Rule Tests During Stops

Beginning September 1, drivers in Kyrgyzstan may be required to demonstrate their knowledge of traffic regulations during routine stops by traffic police. The directive aims to reduce road accidents by ensuring that motorists are familiar with basic driving rules. The new policy was announced by government spokesperson Askat Alagozov on his Facebook page. Oral Exams During Traffic Stops Under the initiative, drivers found violating traffic rules may be asked to take an oral exam on the spot. Those who fail will have their driver’s license temporarily suspended until they pass the test. According to Alagozov, the fee for the first retest attempt will be 500 Kyrgyz som (approximately $5.70). The cost increases with each failed attempt, 1,000 KGS ($11.50) for the second, 2,000 KGS ($23) for the third, and 4,000 KGS ($46) for the fourth try. The entire testing process will be recorded on video to help prevent corruption. Drivers will regain their licenses immediately upon successfully passing the exam. A Response to Rising Road Fatalities Alagozov said the initiative responds to the country’s high number of traffic accidents, which have claimed hundreds of lives. He attributed many of these incidents to drivers lacking basic knowledge of road safety rules. “Because of those who do not know the rules of the road, children become orphans, parents lose their sons and daughters, experiencing terrible tragedies. Many become disabled,” he said. He added that prior to 2020, driver's licenses were routinely sold for 15,000 to 20,000 KGS ($80 to $150), with only 20-30% of motorists having actually passed the required exams. Mixed Reactions From the Public The initiative has sparked heated debate on social media. While some citizens support the move as a necessary step toward improving road safety, others fear it could open the door to new forms of corruption and extortion by traffic police. Authorities maintain that the video-recorded testing procedure will act as a safeguard against abuse, and insist the new policy is a serious step toward safer roads in Kyrgyzstan.

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Tajik Entrepreneurs Return to Kyrgyz Markets

Following the reopening of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, Tajik entrepreneurs have resumed visits to markets in Batken Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. Local media report that residents are welcoming the return of their southern neighbors. Once a week, the market in Ak-Turpak village becomes a hub of activity, drawing sellers and buyers from across the region and neighboring countries. A major draw is Batken rice, which resellers purchase in bulk for export to Uzbekistan and Russia. According to local vendors, the market can sell up to 200 tons of rice on a busy day. Rice is cultivated across 3,000 hectares in this border region and remains a vital source of income for many farmers. With the border now open and economic ties restored, buyers from Isfara, Tajikistan, have begun frequenting the Ak-Turpak market, offering a welcome boost to Kyrgyz vendors. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, residents of Batken’s border districts also benefit from cross-border trade, often finding it more economical to purchase certain fruits and vegetables in Tajikistan than in Kyrgyzstan’s oblast centers. On March 13, 2025, following the signing of bilateral agreements, the Kairagach and Kyzyl-Bel border checkpoints in Batken Oblast officially reopened. According to Kyrgyzstan’s Border Guard Service, approximately 5,000 people crossed the Kyrgyz-Tajik border between March 13 and 17. An additional 500 individuals crossed by air. Prior to the agreement, all crossings had remained closed since 2021.