Tourism in Kyrgyzstan: ambitious goals, poor roads and safety problems
BISHKEK (TCA) — Considering that the World Nomad Games are to be held in 2018, it is expected that there will be a deficit of Kyrgyzstan’s state budget in the second half of the year, the Eurasian Development Bank said in its monthly macroeconomic review. World Nomad Games According to the Finance Ministry of Kyrgyzstan, it is planned to spend 306.3 million soms for the coming World Nomad Games (WNG) to be held from September 2 to September 8 on the Lake Issyk-Kul coast. Earlier this month, the WNG organizers asked businesses and state organizations to provide voluntary financial support for the event. The State Ecological Inspectorate is still the only state agency that has allocated money for the Games. The Inspectorate’s employees transferred their one-day salaries to the account of the World Ethnic Sports Confederation in favor of preparations for the WNG 2018. Meanwhile tickets for the third World Nomad Games are already on sale. Entrance tickets are strictly individual, with QR-codes. Tickets should be bought only for the opening and closing ceremonies (from 400 to 4.9 thousand soms). Entrance to other events will be free. Deputy Minister of Culture, Tourism and Information Ainura Temirbekova believes that the upcoming competitions will outperform the past ones in 2014 and 2016. At Kyrchyn jailoo, an ethno-town is being constructed. From 3 to 6 September, a cultural program will be held there including national songs and dances, clothing and food exhibitions, theatrical staging of Kyrgyz traditions and customs, yurt design and assembling, and folk crafts contests. The WNG organizers will try to surprise and delight the guests. In 2016, the appearance of a thousand of komuzists at the arena of the hippodrome caused the spectators’ admiration. Komuz is an ancient Kyrgyz string instrument. Foreign guests were more interested in customs and traditions of nomads than sports competitions. Therefore, this year the organizers decided to improve the cultural part of the program focused on both the external attributes of the nomadic life and the inner world and spirit of nomads. However, the lofty intentions to hold a high-level international event are not fully implemented. Scandalous road Scandals are continuing around the construction of a ring road around Issyk-Kul Lake, on the shore of which the WNG will be held. Recently, the Prosecutor General's Office initiated a criminal case related to the construction of the Balykchi-Korumdu road. According to the investigation, the Transport Ministry illegally used budget funds in attracting consulting services. Construction of this road, estimated at 6.8 billion soms, is the only major project financed from the state budget. The construction project which began in 2015 and was due to be completed in December of 2017, was accompanied by corruption scandals. In April of 2016, the scandal over this road led to the resignation of then Prime Minister Temir Sariev and Transport Minister Argynbek Malabaev. The total length of the Balykchi-Korumdu road is 104 kilometers, and only a section from the 33rd to 104th kilometer has been completed. Travel safety The incident...
