Page 721 – The Times Of Central Asia

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, Justice, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan’s First President Akayev Wants to Restore His “Former President” Status

September 6, 2024
By Anton Chipegin

Kyrgyzstan’s first president, Askar Akayev, has sent a letter to the country’s parliament (Jogurku Kenesh) asking for his status as a former leader of the republic to be restored. Having served as president from 1991 until 2005, this title was removed from Akayev in 2010.

According to law, the status of former president gives a citizen several social and legal guarantees. The ex-president is granted state protection on the republic’s territory, a state dacha for life, and a monthly allowance equal to three-quarters of the Kyrgyz president’s salary.

The head of the country’s parliamentary committee on constitutional legislation, Cholpon Sultanbekova, has said that Akayev’s appeal had already sparked discussions in society.

According to Sultanbekova, Akayev wrote a letter on July 30 to the speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh, but only now has the letter been sent to the deputies for consideration.

“The issue will not be immediately put on the agenda. First, it will be considered by the factions and deputies. It will be put on the agenda only after that,” Sultanbekova said.

On March 24, 2005, after the coup d’état (Tulip Revolution), Akayev fled to Moscow, fearing for his life. In 2010, after the April Revolution, when Kyrgyzstan’s second president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, was overthrown, Akayev was stripped of his presidential status by a decree of the interim government.

Edil Baisalov, deputy head of Kyrgyzstan’s cabinet of ministers, has commented that Akayev has ex-presidential status from a legal standpoint.

“There is no doubt that Askar Akayev continues to possess the title of ex-president of the Kyrgyz Republic. If anyone wants to deprive him of this status, there should be a full impeachment procedure, which so far has only taken place against Atambayev in 2019 (the third President of Kyrgyzstan),” Baisalov wrote.

Kyrgyzstan’s current president, Sadyr Japarov, also spoke out about the matter. He noted that he had not discussed the issue with Akayev.

“This is a matter for the parliament. How the Jogorku Kenesh will decide whether it will or will not give its consent is the legal right of the parliament. Whether to deprive the status of ‘ex’ or to restore it is also decided by parliament. Of course, there were many negatives during Akayev’s rule. But along with that, there were positive moments in the years when the country gained independence,” the president said.

Japarov said Askar Akayev could make such a request to parliament, unlike other fugitive presidents, Bakeev and Atambayev, who have criminal cases pending in Kyrgyzstan.

“There were human casualties in the cases of Atambayev and Bakiyev. Therefore, I think it is wrong if the parliament restores them to the status of ex-president,” Japarov said.

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Turkmenistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Turkmenistan Local Politics, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy

Turkish Contractors Implement New Large-Scale Projects in Turkmenistan

September 6, 2024
By Times of Central Asia

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has reported that construction projects valued at $53.3 billion are being implemented in Turkmenistan; signifying Turkey’s significant presence in this sector of the country.

By comparison, the total value of projects implemented by Turkish contractors in Russia amounted to $102.3 billion, making it the largest market for the Turkish sector, whilst in Kazakhstan, its market share is $29.5 billion.

Statistics show that 13.9% of all realized foreign projects are related to the construction of highways, tunnels, and bridges, while 13.8% are for housing; 8.6% for power plants; 7.1% for shopping centers; and 6.6% for airports.

In 2024, Turkish contracting companies completed 148 projects abroad worth $11.2 billion, while 433 international projects totaling $28.1 billion were completed last year. The average value of projects increased from $64.9 million in 2023 to $75.7 million in 2024.

Following a meeting on September 2, between the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Board of Erman Ilydjak, a new shopping center will be built in Ashgabat by Turkish company Rönesans Holding.

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan Business & Economy, Local Politics, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Business & Economy, Business & Economy, Kazakhstan Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Turkmenistan in World’s Top Ten for Cheap Gasoline

September 6, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

According to The Global Petrol Prices portal, the cheapest gasoline price in the world is $0.029 per liter in Iran. In addition, low prices were observed in Libya ($0.032), Venezuela ($0.035), Egypt ($0.309), Algeria, Kuwait ($0.344), Malaysia ($0.471) and Nigeria ($0.485).
According to the portal, the price of one liter of gasoline, Octane-95, in Turkmenistan is $0.0429. It ranks 8th in the list of most affordable gasoline prices.

The highest gasoline prices are recorded in countries such as Israel, Barbados, Singapore, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Monaco, and Hong Kong. The highest price is observed in Hong Kong—$3.269 per liter.

Kazakhstan has the next lowest price among Central Asian countries. The country is placed 11th in the ranking for the cheapest gasoline prices. In Kazakhstan, one liter of Octane-95 gasoline costs $0.507.

The price of gasoline in Kyrgyzstan, which is 30th on the list, was $0.874 per liter at the beginning of September 2024.

The price of a liter of gasoline in Uzbekistan during this period was $0.986, ranking 42nd.

Fuel markets in these Central Asian countries are regulated, and prices stay mostly the same. The table does not include information about the cost of gasoline in Tajikistan.

The Global Petrol Prices portal has been tracking retail energy prices since 2012, including fuel prices, electricity, and natural gas prices in more than 150 countries. Neven Valev, Ph.D., an economist with extensive scientific experience, leads the team of economists.

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, Tajikistan International Affairs, International Affairs, Tajikistan, Tajikistan Business Economy, Business & Economy

Tajikistan Proposes Launching Oil Refinery With Russian Tatneft

September 6, 2024
By Sadokat Jalolova

Tajikistan wants to establish cooperation with Russia’s Tatneft to open an oil refinery in the Dangara free economic zone, in Tajikistan’s Khatlon region. This was announced by the country’s Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Sherali Kabir, during a recent investment forum in Dushanbe between Tajik and Russian companies.

“One of the most important issues that we see in the development between our countries is the improvement of our production capacities, including the production of fuel and lubricants, cooperation, and the creation of new mechanisms. If we launch this enterprise together with Tatneft, we can achieve great progress in this regard.” Kabir said.

It is noted that this will help Tatneft enter the markets of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“As was said, up to 30% of Tatneft’s raw materials are exported. Bring them here (Tajikistan), process them — and imagine what a huge market the company could open up for itself. 40 million people in Afghanistan, and over 230 million in Pakistan,” Timur Yoribek, Head of the International Relations Department of the Ministry of Industry of Tajikistan, commented.

According to him, Tajikistan has ideal logistics routes for this — seven bridges leading to Afghanistan, and the shortest links to the Pakistani seaports.

Construction of the Dangara oil refinery began in 2014 and was completed in 2018. The plant’s planned capacity is 1.2 million tons of oil per year, but the commissioning has been delayed due to a shortage of raw materials.

Tajikistan produces a small amount of oil, which is not enough to supply the refineries.

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Local Politics, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan Local Politics, Business & Economy, Kyrgyzstan Business & Economy

Canadian-Manufactured Aircraft Arrives in Kyrgyzstan to Perform Domestic Flights

September 6, 2024
By Sergey Kwan

The first Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, purchased by Kyrgyzstan’s Manas International Airport Open Joint Stock Company for its Asman Airlines, has arrived in Bishkek.

The airplane, made by Canadian manufacturer De Havilland Aircraft, is a short-haul plane capable of carrying up to 80 passengers and transporting them over a distance of up to 2,000 kilometers.

Manas International Airport, which runs all airports in the country, is purchasing two Bombardier Dash 8 Q-400 aircraft for the local Asman Airlines at its own expense. Another Q-400 aircraft will arrive later.

Kyrgyzstan is experiencing growth in passenger traffic on both domestic and international flights. In 2023, the total passenger traffic amounted to 5.609 million passengers, an increase from 3.98 million, or 41%, in 2021.

In addition, the regional airports in Karakol, Kazarman, Kerben, Talas, and Naryn have been reconstructed at the expense of Manas International Airport, allowing the launch of new domestic routes. A new international airport in the southern Jalal-Abad region is under consideration.

06 Sep 2024

Central Asia, International Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan International Affairs

Kyrgyzstan Removes Taliban From List of Terrorist Organizations

September 25, 2024
By Vagit Ismailov

Kyrgyzstan has quietly removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations.

Kyrgyzstan’s Prosecutor General’s Office recently published a list of extremist terrorist organizations whose activities are banned by courts in the country. The list includes 20 organizations, but the Taliban is not among them.

The State Commission on Religious Affairs could not answer precisely why the Taliban is not on the list. Azamat Yusupov, the agency’s deputy head, told reporters that the commission had nothing to do with approving the list.

“Given the recent changes in Afghanistan, the Taliban can be removed from the list of terrorist organizations. It is better to contact the judiciary, which can answer this question more accurately,” Yusupov stated.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has already responded. The foreign ministry of the unrecognized Islamic Emirate said it “welcomes and approves of the Kyrgyz authorities’ decision to remove the Taliban from the list of banned groups.”

“The step taken by Kyrgyzstan signifies the growing political recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at both regional and international levels and removes an obstacle to strengthening bilateral relations between Afghanistan and other countries,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Taliban has been recognized as a terrorist organization in different years and by other countries and organizations. For example, in Kazakhstan, the Taliban was recognized as a terrorist organization by the Supreme Court on March 15, 2005. And in Kyrgyzstan by the decision of the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek on September 15, 2006. In Russia, the Taliban was recognized as a terrorist organization by a decision of the Supreme Court in 2003.

In June this year, Kazakhstan removed the Taliban regime from the terrorist list to develop economic interaction with Afghanistan. This was announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, at a meeting of the Council of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

In May of this year, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Taliban could be removed from the list of banned organizations; however, this issue still needs to be resolved in Russia.