BISHKEK (TCA) — Freedom House, an independent watchdog organization that monitors the status of freedom around the world and advocates for democracy and human rights, on December 20 responded to the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan upholding a lower-level court decision to fine the founders of the independent outlet Zanoza.kg the equivalent of about $387,000 because of alleged libel against the country’s former president.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank (KICB) are providing financing to Kyrgyzstan’s leading sugar producer, Kaindy-Kant. A loan agreement for US$ 2 million was signed on December 20 in the capital, Bishkek. The funds will provide Kaindy-Kant with working capital related to the procurement and subsequent storage, transportation and processing of sugar beet, the EBRD said.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan’s opposition politician and former presidential candidate Omurbek Babanov has called efforts to impound the property of his television channel in Bishkek a “seizure by raid,” RFE/RL reported.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — The countries of Central Asia, especially Kazakhstan, may significantly benefit from China’s Belt and Road initiative aimed to create transport and transit routes from Asia to Europe. But such benefits may turn out to be not as big as expected. We are republishing this article by Nathan Hutson on the issue, originally published by EurasiaNet.org:

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TASHKENT (TCA) — A number of promising projects aimed at the development of economic and agricultural sectors in the Aral Sea region were planned during a visit of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the northwestern Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan late last week, including investment projects that will be implemented in the food industry, programs on development of livestock, poultry, beekeeping, fish farming, and camel breeding, the Jahon information agency reported.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors on December 19 approved a $25 million policy-based grant to continue ongoing efforts to improve the investment climate in Kyrgyzstan and encourage the private sector to contribute more effectively to the country’s growth. The grant is being provided under subprogram 3 of the Second Investment Climate Improvement Program (Second ICIP), the Bank’s Country Office said.

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