BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan’s accession of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) has been advantageous for the country, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov said on February 2 in Parliament, presenting a report on the results of the country’s membership of the EEU.
The EEU is an economic integration bloc consisting of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
The Government’s press service quoted Jeenbekov as saying that to date, 18 Kyrgyz processing enterprises are allowed to export their agricultural products to Russia and eight enterprises are allowed to export to Kazakhstan. Those enterprises include 12 dairy, three fish, two honey, and one meat producers.
In January-November 2016, however, Kyrgyzstan’s trade with EEU countries reduced by 16.7 percent and amounted to $1.743 billion.
Kyrgyzstan’s import decreased 0.1 percent and totaled $3.620 billion and export fell by 1.5 percent and totaled $1.268 billion.
At the same time, the import from non-EEU countries increased: from China 1.5-fold, from Turkey by 12.2 percent, and from the US 1.3-fold.
Another problem, in the prime minister’s words, is the remaining veterinary control on Kyrgyzstan’s border with Kazakhstan.
Jeenbekov said in 2017 the Government plans to develop and diversify Kyrgyz exports, and make Kazakhstan lift veterinary control on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border.
The Government also plans to assist in establishing joint ventures with China, the UAE, and Turkey for the export of products to the EEU market.
After listening to the report, the leader of opposition Ata Meken faction in Parliament, Omurbek Tekebayev, said the Government had not fulfilled its tasks concerning Kyrgyzstan’s accession of the EEU and announced the beginning of expression of a vote of non-confidence to the Government. Another parliamentary faction — Onuguu-Progress — supported Ata Meken’s intention.
