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BISHKEK (TCA) — A team of Russian investigative journalists has reported that U.S. President Donald Trump’s former campaign chief, Paul Manafort, worked in Kyrgyzstan in 2005 to promote the Kremlin’s geopolitical interests — including the closure of a U.S. air force base at Bishkek’s Manas airport that was the main logistics hub for NATO forces in Afghanistan, RFE/RL reports. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — Bishkek-Tashkent-Bishkek air flight has been resumed late in December 2017, to run twice a week. In early 2018, it is also planned to resume the Osh-Tashkent-Osh flight. The agreement on the resumption of air communications between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan was reached during the official visit of Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov to Tashkent in December. To expand the geography of air flights, Kyrgyzstan needs to improve conditions for its aviation development. EU blacklist It is a shame that the national airline company has only one plane, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov said recently at the Business Development and Investment Council meeting to discuss the country’s tourism development program. According to Talgart Nurbayev, Director General of the state owned Air Manas airline, it is difficult for Kyrgyzstan to purchase aircraft through leasing because the country is blacklisted by the European Union. Staying on the EU blacklist increases leasing payments twice, he said. To exit from the blacklist, Kyrgyzstan has to meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), which requires large financial costs. Prime Minister Isakov believes that transition to the open skies policy is necessary for Kyrgyzstan, so that citizens could fly to distant countries directly and without extra costs. By the end of 2018, all ICAO recommendations will be fully implemented and Kyrgyzstan will be able to apply for the lifting of the flight restrictions in Europe by the end of 2019, Director of the Civil Aviation Agency of Kyrgyzstan (CAA) Kurmanbek Akyshev said. In December 2017, ICAO specialists checked the Manas International Airport (MIA), the country's airlines and the CAA. The ICAO experts' conclusions were much more positive than in previous years when two audits resulted in much criticism. Kyrgyzstan's airlines have been on the European Union blacklist since 2006. Airports’ prospects Passengers departing from Bishkek and Osh often have to travel to many foreign countries not directly but changing airlines, which is inconvenient and expensive. For 26 years of independence, the state has not been able to fundamentally reform the aviation industry. The current airport management promised that with 8 billion soms of credit it would rectify the situation. But the loan would be a debt to be paid out by taxpayers. Even if the MIA receives this money, there is no guarantee that there will be a result and the quality of services will improve. Therefore, it would be better to assign this task on a reliable foreign investor. The transfer of large airports to the trust management of a foreign company is a common international practice, and local citizens should not be afraid of this practice, the local business community says. In many countries, the state and private business work in partnership. The issue currently under discussion should be resolved within the public-private partnership. There are many companies in the world that have proven their professionalism, such as TAV from Turkey or companies from South Korea and Singapore. Last November, Prime Minister Isakov met...
BISHKEK (TCA) — Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov visited the Manas International Airport in Bishkek on October 4 following numerous complaints about the airport's work. Most of the complaints of Kyrgyz citizens and foreign visitors were about the conditions of arrival, departure and registration. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing loan and grant financing to Manas Airport, the main air gateway in Kyrgyzstan located 25 km of the capital Bishkek, for the modernization of the terminal building, the Bank said. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — On March 31, the Ata-Meken (Fatherland) parliamentary opposition faction discussed distribution of money received by the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan to help residents of Dacha Su village that suffered from a plane crash on January 16. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — The OSCE Centre in Bishkek, with €20,000 donated from the proceeds of the OSCE Charity Ball 2017, has launched a project to provide lasting psycho-social relief and assistance to victims of the January 16 plane crash in Dacha-Suu village near the Manas airport on the outskirts of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. The project is being implemented jointly with the Kyrgyzstan-based Child Rights Defenders League and the National Red Crescent Society of the Kyrgyz Republic, the OSCE said on February 22. Continue reading
