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Kazakhstan Allocates $73 Million for August Kurultai Elections

Kazakhstan has allocated 34.3 billion KZT, approximately $73 million, from the government’s reserve fund to finance elections for the country’s newly established Kurultai, the unicameral parliament created under the country’s new Constitution, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) member Mikhail Bortnik. Kazakhstan’s new Constitution entered into force on July 1, replacing the previous bicameral parliament with the Kurultai. Elections for the new legislature are scheduled for August 23. A total of 145 deputies will be elected from party lists. Under the new electoral rules, at least 30% of candidates nominated by each political party must come from three combined categories: women, young people, and persons with disabilities. Speaking on July 14, Bortnik said the election budget would be financed from the government’s reserve because the 2026 state budget had been approved before the constitutional reform and therefore did not include funding for the parliamentary elections. “The budget for the upcoming elections has been prepared based on the needs identified by territorial election commissions and in accordance with electoral legislation, including all expenditures necessary to ensure the legality, transparency, and proper organization of the electoral process,” Bortnik said. The largest share of the funding will cover the work of Kazakhstan’s election administration. More than 70,000 election officials will operate 10,674 polling stations nationwide. Around 8.5 billion KZT, or more than $18 million, roughly 25% of the total budget, has been allocated for organizational expenses, including travel, transport, technical support, ballot printing, equipment, and the establishment of 47 new polling stations. The funding will also cover the preparation of voter information materials, methodological guidance for election officials, public information campaigns, and the operational costs of the Central Election Commission. The CEC is expected to complete the registration of party candidate lists by 6:00 p.m. on July 23. So far, seven political parties have submitted their candidate lists. According to CEC Secretary Shavkat Utemisov, the Adilet Party submitted the largest list, with 186 candidates, while the Nationwide Social Democratic Party submitted the smallest, with 33 candidates. The remaining parties submitted lists ranging from 63 candidates for the Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan to 76 for the Respublica Party. The candidate lists are currently being reviewed by the relevant government agencies to verify that all nominees meet the legal requirements for election. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court recently ruled that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev remains eligible to seek another presidential term under the country’s 2026 Constitution.

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A Signal from Uzbekistan: How Turkmen Border Villages Reach the Outside World

In Diýýar, a village in northern Turkmenistan close enough to catch Uzbekistan’s mobile signal, a foreign SIM card inserted into a small Wi-Fi router can turn a barely functioning 2G connection into usable home internet. In early July, police reportedly entered around ten households in the village, identified Uzbek-connected routers, and confiscated the SIM cards. Similar inspections have been under way across close to 60 settlements in Dashoguz Province, according to Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The campaign covers parts of Shabat and Görogly districts, including Kirov, Diýýar, Bedirkent, Aýlak, and Nyýazow, in areas where Uzbek mobile signals cross the border. The Internet Across the Border What the authorities are removing is more than a foreign phone number. Residents told Radio Azatlyk that Turkmen Telecom internet is either unavailable or extremely slow in several border villages. TMCell, the mobile brand operated by the state-owned Altyn Asyr network, often provides only 2G service, while home Wi-Fi is unavailable. Households able to obtain an Uzbek SIM card use networks such as Ucell and Uztelecom, placing the card in a router that supplies internet throughout the home. Residents said YouTube and Instagram become accessible through these connections, although TikTok and many foreign websites still require a VPN. One resident described the Uzbek service as “300 times” faster than the Turkmen alternative, a personal estimate rather than a measured comparison. The cards arrive through an informal chain of traders and other residents who regularly cross into Uzbekistan. A Dashoguz source said they sell for around 200 manats and that sellers also help buyers complete the registration. The arrangement depends on geography, personal contacts, and a signal strong enough to reach across the frontier. One local source said many people from Dashoguz work abroad, including in Russia, Poland, and Germany. For households with relatives overseas, a usable connection can provide a direct link beyond the village. It also opens independent news sites and social platforms that remain blocked or unreliable on Turkmen networks. Residents confronted by police sometimes say they use the internet only to pass the time, reportedly hoping to avoid a fine. A Signal Treated as Suspicion The reported consequences vary. Some first-time offenders receive a warning, particularly when they cannot afford a penalty. Others are threatened with fines of up to 50,000 manats or imprisonment. That amount is about $14,300 at Turkmenistan’s official exchange rate and roughly $2,500 using the widely reported informal rate. Residents said officers described the use of foreign telecommunications services as possible espionage on behalf of another country. The reports cite no court case or published provision under which simply possessing an Uzbek SIM card constitutes espionage. The threat itself, however, raises the stakes around an ordinary household connection. Police and security officers reportedly do not use specialist equipment to locate the routers. Local sources said they rely instead on informants in villages, schools, and local administrations. They allegedly gather information through schoolchildren as well. Residents who travel regularly to Uzbekistan, including small...

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Kazakhstan Joins World’s Top 30 Countries in Cardiac Surgery Development

Kazakhstan has entered the world’s top 30 countries for cardiac surgery, according to the Ministry of Health, citing the country’s growing use of advanced cardiovascular procedures, including heart transplantation and other high-tech surgical interventions. In 2025, Kazakhstan performed 13,106 open-heart surgeries, a 7.2% increase from the previous year. Coronary artery bypass grafting accounted for the largest share of procedures, at 46.1%. It is the standard surgical treatment for severe coronary artery disease and restores blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked or narrowed arteries. Operations for acquired and congenital heart defects together accounted for 35.8% of all open-heart procedures. “Kazakhstan continues to expand high-tech cardiology and cardiac surgery services, allowing the country to join the world’s 30 leading nations in this field,” the Ministry of Health said. In addition to conventional cardiac surgery, hospitals in Kazakhstan increasingly perform endovascular procedures. These minimally invasive interventions are carried out through small vascular punctures using catheters and other specialized instruments guided by X-ray or ultrasound imaging. According to the ministry, the country’s cardiology centers now provide more than 80 types of high-tech cardiovascular procedures. One of the country’s most notable achievements came in 2025, when surgeons completed Kazakhstan’s 100th heart transplant, highlighting the growing capabilities of the national transplant program and the increasing expertise of domestic specialists. The ministry also reported steady improvements in cardiovascular health indicators. Over the past five years, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases has declined by 15%, while mortality from circulatory system diseases has fallen by 35.1%. The positive trend continued during the first five months of 2026. Cases of circulatory system diseases declined by 6.6%, arterial hypertension by 9.7%, and coronary heart disease by 10.1%. The number of acute myocardial infarctions decreased by 5.7%, while strokes fell by 6.1%. According to the Ministry of Health, these improvements have been driven by the expansion of specialized stroke and cardiac centers, wider availability of high-tech medical care, implementation of modern clinical protocols, improvements in emergency medical services, broader preventive screening programs, and increased access to medicines for patients with cardiovascular diseases. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan has become an increasingly attractive destination for medical tourism, driven by the competitive cost and quality of its healthcare services. In 2025, the country treated approximately 80,000 foreign patients, 4.5 times the 2021 figure. Earlier this year, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also argued that Kazakhstan has developed several healthcare advantages that compare favorably with those available in some advanced Western countries.

Local Politics Tajikistan Local Politics Tajikistan

Tajikistan Develops Gender Equality Strategy and Expands Support for Women

Tajikistan is developing a new strategy to address gender-related social norms for 2027–2036 while expanding programs aimed at increasing women’s economic participation and cooperation with international organizations. The draft strategy was presented at a meeting organized jointly by the Committee for Women and Family Affairs under the Government of Tajikistan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Representatives of 46 international organizations, development partners, and civil society groups took part in the discussions, the committee said in its review of activities for the first half of 2026. According to the committee, the strategy is intended to serve as the country’s main policy framework on gender equality over the next decade. It aims to address social norms that limit opportunities for women, promote greater participation in economic, political, and public life, and increase support for families. UNICEF is providing technical assistance in developing the document. The initiative builds on Tajikistan’s National Strategy for Enhancing the Role of Women through 2030, adopted in 2021. Under its 2026–2030 implementation plan, the government plans to further increase women’s participation in public administration, business, education, and civic life. It will also continue presidential quota and grant programs that support women’s education and entrepreneurship. One of the government's flagship initiatives is a presidential grant program for women entrepreneurs. This year, authorities received 945 project applications, which are currently under review. The program provides financial support for businesses in manufacturing, agriculture, handicrafts, and services, with the stated goals of creating jobs, increasing household incomes, and expanding opportunities for women-led enterprises. In 2026, Tajikistan was elected to the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women for the 2027–2031 term, a development that authorities say reflects growing international recognition of the country’s work on gender equality. Despite these initiatives, violence against women remains a significant challenge. According to the U.N., more than 2,500 criminal cases involving violence against women have been opened in Tajikistan over the past five years. A national survey also found that 23% of women reported experiencing physical violence at least once, with most incidents occurring within the family.

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Kashagan Operator Faces July 20 Deadline to Pay $4.9 Billion Environmental Fine

Kazakhstan says it will begin compulsory collection proceedings against the North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), operator of the giant Kashagan oil field, if it does not pay a 2.3 trillion tenge ($4.9 billion) environmental fine by July 20. The deadline follows a domestic court ruling that has entered into legal force, even as the project’s foreign shareholders pursue international arbitration over the penalty. Deputy Minister of Justice Daniyel Vaisov announced the deadline on July 14. “Foreign companies currently have an obligation to pay 2.3 trillion tenge. If they fail to pay the fine by July 20, the Republic of Kazakhstan will proceed in accordance with the law, including enforcement proceedings and compulsory collection measures,” Vaisov said. However, in a statement to The Times of Central Asia, NCOC said a tribunal in parallel UNCITRAL arbitration proceedings had issued a restraining order prohibiting Kazakhstan from taking any measures to enforce the fine while the arbitration is pending. The company said the UNCITRAL proceedings had been initiated by Kazakhstan itself. NCOC and the contracting companies said they reject both the fine and the allegations underlying it and are contesting them through the UNCITRAL proceedings as well as the ICSID arbitration. They called on Kazakhstan to comply with the restraining order. The dispute stems from a 2022 inspection of Kashagan’s onshore processing facilities in the Atyrau Region. Environmental authorities said the operator had exceeded its permitted sulfur-storage limits, and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources imposed the 2.3 trillion-tenge penalty in 2023. NCOC said it had obtained and maintained all required permits and had always conducted its sulfur management in full compliance with the law. The case has passed through several rounds of domestic litigation. On August 1, 2025, the Administrative Chamber of Astana City Court annulled the original penalty order because of procedural violations, without ruling on the substance of the environmental allegations. The ministry subsequently corrected the procedural defects and reissued the penalty later that month. An Astana court left the reissued fine in force on April 8, 2026. Vaisov said on July 14 that the ruling had entered into legal force. NCOC brings together Kazakhstan’s state-owned KazMunayGas and six foreign partners: Shell, TotalEnergies, Eni, ExxonMobil, CNPC, and Inpex. NCOC and the project’s six foreign shareholders have initiated treaty arbitration through the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), arguing that Kazakhstan’s conduct breaches protections owed to investors. Vaisov said the parties were finalizing the composition of the ICSID tribunal, which is expected to be completed by the end of July. “We believe the Republic’s actions regarding the alleged sulfur-storage permit violations are inconsistent with its obligations under international investment treaties, including its obligation to provide fair and equitable treatment to investors,” NCOC said. The Kazakh authorities maintain that the sulfur was stored in breach of environmental rules. The mechanics of compulsory collection may prove difficult. Nurlan Zhumagulov, executive director of the Energy Monitor Foundation, said that NCOC acts as the project’s operator while each shareholder markets its own...

International Affairs Tajikistan International Affairs Tajikistan Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Begin Installing Border Pillars After Completing Border Delimitation

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have begun installing border pillars along their shared frontier, marking the start of the final stage in implementing the landmark border agreement that ended one of Central Asia’s longest-running territorial disputes. On July 14, representatives of the two countries installed the first four border pillars on the section beginning at the tri-junction where the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meet. The Kyrgyz-Tajik border stretches 1,008.14 kilometers, while the total perimeter of neutral territory amounts to 14.07 kilometers. The installation of border markers follows the completion of the border delimitation process, which began in December 2002 and is widely regarded as a historic breakthrough in relations between the two neighboring countries. On March 13, 2025, in Bishkek, Presidents Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan and Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Kyrgyz-Tajik State Border, establishing the legal framework for long-term stability, confidence-building, and sustainable development in border regions. The joint Kyrgyz-Tajik demarcation commission has since carried out field surveys covering approximately 416 kilometers of the border between Kyrgyzstan’s Batken Region and Tajikistan’s Sughd Region. It has identified locations for 1,627 border signs, comprising 1,954 border pillars. Both governments describe the completion of legal border formalization and physical demarcation as a key step toward improving regional security, promoting socioeconomic development in border areas, expanding bilateral cooperation, and deepening relations between the two countries. For decades, the Kyrgyz-Tajik border was one of the most volatile in Central Asia. Disputes rooted in conflicting Soviet-era maps, competition over water resources and pastureland, and the complex geography of enclaves such as Vorukh repeatedly triggered clashes between local communities and security forces. The most serious confrontations occurred in April 2021 and September 2022, when fighting involving heavy artillery and armed drones resulted in military and civilian casualties and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes. The border settlement forms part of efforts by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to resolve territorial disputes inherited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At a summit in Khujand on March 31, 2025, Presidents Japarov, Rahmon, and Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed an agreement defining the junction point of the three countries’ state borders, formally ending decades of territorial disagreements. The three leaders also inaugurated the Friendship Stele, erected at the point where the three national borders meet as a symbol of reconciliation and a new phase of regional cooperation. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has also proposed establishing the Dostuk, or Friendship, International Trade and Economic Park jointly with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in the tri-border area. The initiative is expected to boost cross-border trade, attract investment, and create new economic opportunities throughout the Ferghana Valley.