Kyrgyzstan Local Politics - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kyrgyz Special Forces Showcase Combat Drone Capabilities in Anti-Terror Exercise

Kyrgyzstan’s elite State Committee for National Security (GKNB) special forces unit, Alpha, demonstrated advanced combat capabilities during the Asman Kozomolu 2025 anti-terrorist exercises, held to enhance operational readiness in modern warfare scenarios. According to the GKNB, the drills featured the use of cutting-edge weaponry, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), first-person view (FPV) drones, and robotic ground systems. The exercises aimed to sharpen the operational skills of personnel in deploying modern combat technologies under conditions simulating real combat. “In conditions close to combat, critical capabilities of modern combat robotics and UAVs were demonstrated, along with the process of manufacturing FPV drones,” the committee stated. A key component of the drill involved storming a simulated administrative building using a ground-based combat robot, followed by a coordinated assault by special forces. The unit also rehearsed neutralizing enemy vehicles using kamikaze ground drones and attack drones equipped with shaped-charge munitions. Additionally, operators practiced deploying FPV drones with varying payload-release mechanisms. GKNB Chairman Kamchybek Tashiev attended the exercise and participated in sniper shooting drills. Addressing the forces, he emphasized the government’s commitment to equipping military and security units with state-of-the-art logistics and weaponry to counter emerging threats. Kyrgyzstan initiated its drone program in late 2021, acquiring Turkish-made Bayraktar drones during heightened tensions along the Tajik border. Since then, the country has expanded its drone arsenal to include Russian Orlan-10 UAVs. In 2022, Kyrgyzstan inaugurated its first drone base, and by 2024, it had unveiled its first domestically produced drone at an industrial exhibition attended by President Sadyr Japarov.

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Kyrgyz-Chinese Initiative to Establish Large-Scale Tree Nursery in Bishkek

Chinese partners from the city of Qingdao are working with the Bishkek municipality to establish a major nursery for tree and shrub saplings, aimed at greening the Kyrgyz capital. The initiative is part of a broader environmental restoration effort and represents a significant step toward improving the city’s ecological conditions. Over the weekend, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliyev visited the site of the future nursery, where more than 12,300 tree saplings and 9,000 shrubs have already been experimentally planted across five hectares. According to city officials, the total area of the nursery is expected to eventually span approximately 100 hectares. Initial cultivation efforts have focused on tall deciduous tree species, including Norway maple, Chinese acacia, linden, poplar, and beech. Once mature, these saplings will be planted throughout Bishkek to help restore its long-lost greenery. Historically one of the greenest cities in the former Soviet Union, Bishkek has lost much of its tree cover over the past three decades, largely due to rapid construction in and around the city center. Environmental experts have advised local authorities to shift away from the prevalent use of coniferous trees and instead prioritize tall, shade-giving deciduous trees that also offer better noise absorption. The new nursery is expected to play a crucial role in reversing urban deforestation and improving air quality in Bishkek. It also supports Kyrgyzstan’s nationwide “Jashyl Muras” (Green Heritage) campaign, launched in March 2022 by President Sadyr Japarov. The initiative aims to plant 5-6 million saplings annually across the country. In 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision reported that more than 8.1 million saplings were planted nationwide under the program.

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Kyrgyzstan Sets Date for 2027 Presidential Election

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has submitted a draft law to parliament establishing the official date for the country’s next presidential election. The parliamentary committee on constitutional legislation has approved the proposal in all three readings. According to the newly adopted law, the presidential election will take place on January 24, 2027, in line with amendments that designate the fourth Sunday of January as the official election date in the year the president’s term expires. Under the current Constitution, the president of Kyrgyzstan is elected for a single six-year term, with no possibility of re-election. President Japarov was elected on January 28, 2021, and later initiated constitutional reforms, including a nationwide referendum that expanded presidential powers. Changes to Parliamentary Elections The same parliamentary committee has also approved a second reading of a draft law altering the electoral system for members of the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament). The reforms would eliminate single-mandate constituencies, moving to an entirely majoritarian, multi-member district model. Under the new system, 30 electoral constituencies will be established, with three deputies elected in each, bringing the total to 90 MPs, all elected on a majoritarian basis. Both political parties and self-nominated individuals will be able to field candidates. Notably, 30 of the 90 seats will be reserved for women, aimed at enhancing gender representation. Currently, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament is composed of 54 deputies elected by party lists and 36 by single-mandate districts. If approved in its final reading, the draft law would overhaul the country's mixed electoral model in favor of a purely constituency-based approach.

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Kyrgyzstan Among Countries with Highest Number of Measles Cases

The measles virus is spreading in many parts of the world, and Kyrgyzstan is among the nations experiencing a surge in cases as health officials conduct an immunization drive despite vaccine skepticism among some people. A total of 5,168 measles cases had been registered across the Central Asian country as of April 10 this year, in what the Ministry of Health described as an “acute” situation. Some 1,777 vaccination clinics operate across Kyrgyzstan at a primary healthcare level and in maternity hospitals, and mobile teams carry out vaccinations in remote areas as well as among migrants in new settlements in the capital, Bishkek, according to the ministry. One UNICEF-supported nurse has traveled on horseback to deliver measles vaccines on remote farms in the mountainous country. “Every year, up to 20,000 people refuse to get vaccinated. The main reasons for refusal are religious beliefs — 43%, doubts about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines — 45%. This leads to the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases,” the ministry said. It also stated that unvaccinated citizens, mainly preschool children, could be temporarily barred from educational institutions in the event of an epidemic or the threat of one. Health experts say a decline in immunization is contributing to a rise in global measles cases this year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that, as of April 10, a total of 712 confirmed cases of the airborne, highly contagious disease had been reported in the United States this year, compared to 285 cases that were reported last year. The greatest concentration of cases this year is in Texas. Officials declared the disease to be eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. Yemen, India, and Pakistan have the world’s highest numbers of reported measles cases in the last six months, according to an April report by the World Health Organization. Kyrgyzstan, which has a population of about seven million, has the seventh highest number of cases in the WHO data. Kyrgyzstan’s healthcare system is likely under a lot of strain because of the surging measles cases, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in March, stating that the deaths of two children had been reported. “Hospitals, clinics, and health professionals are overwhelmed with the high number of patients, leading to longer waiting times, limited resources, and increased workload for medical staff,” the federation said.

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Kyrgyzstan Tries Again to Compose a New Anthem

Kyrgyzstan’s national anthem, slated for an overhaul, isn't going into retirement just yet. Earlier this year, the government said it would hold a contest to select a new anthem to replace the one that was introduced in 1992, soon after Kyrgyzstan declared independence from the Soviet Union. But a state commission that met on April 9-10 to choose the best new text and music wasn’t satisfied with the options for replacing the old version, which was widely panned as hard to perform and more in tune with Soviet rather than contemporary times. “Despite the diversity of the proposed projects and the active participation of citizens, the commission concluded that it had not found a work that fully met the content and artistic requirements for the national anthem as a state symbol,” the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth said. Another contest will be held, according to the ministry statement. People who participated in the first competition can do so again, but they’ll have to come up with something new. The selection committee wants projects reflecting “the historical memory, cultural heritage, development aspirations and national unity of the Kyrgyz people,” the ministry said. A total of 285 anthem projects from 165 people had been registered in the first contest. The chorus of the old anthem reaches for the spirit of a newly independent people, though whether Kyrgyzstan’s democratic aspirations are advancing or backsliding is in dispute these days: “March on, O Kyrgyz folk, March towards democracy! Keep prospering, off we go, In your hands lies your destiny!” The country's president Sadyr Japarov has said he favors a new anthem. In December, he signed a bill modifying the imagery on the national flag, another change aimed at modernizing the country’s national symbols. Some Kyrgyz citizens criticized the flag change as a rebranding exercise that distracted from the country’s more pressing issues.

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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.