BISHKEK (TCA) — Authorities in Kyrgyzstan say that neighboring Kazakhstan has tightened control along the border between the two countries amid tension over the October 15 presidential election in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service told RFE/RL on October 11 that long lines of automobiles and people formed near several border checkpoints as Kazakh authorities appeared to step up checks and slow the pace of passage across the border as of October 10.
There has been no official comment from Kazakh authorities on the situation, which developed days after Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev publicly accused the Kazakh authorities of “meddling in Kyrgyzstan’s internal affairs.”
On October 7, Atambayev accused Kazakhstan of interfering in the election campaign by openly supporting Omurbek Babanov, who is facing off against ruling party candidate Sooronbai Jeenbekov in the upcoming vote.
Atambayev also criticized Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has been in power since the Soviet era, over his long rule.
Nazarbayev sparked anger in the Kyrgyz government by meeting on September 19 with Babanov, who is seen as a front-runner along with Jeenbekov.
Atambayev is constitutionally barred from seeking a second term and has publicly supported Jeenbekov, who stepped down as prime minister in August to run for president.
On October 10, Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev rejected the Kyrgyz claims of interference, calling them “groundless.” Speaking before the border trouble began, Sagintayev said that “all of Kyrgyzstan’s aviation, railway, and automobile routes go out via Kazakhstan, and we have never imposed any restrictions on them.”
