Latest Articles about Kyrgyzstan
Russia and Kyrgyzstan Playing for High Stakes in Manas
The closure of the strategically important U.S. Manas air base in Bishkek, announced following Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's visit to Moscow for bilateral talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, met with disbelief in the West. Kyrgyz Security Council Secretary Adakhan Madumarov briefing journalists in Moscow... MORE
Bakiyev Pleases Moscow, Seeks to Oust U.S. Military Base
At a February 3 press conference in Moscow Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced that his government had decided to shut down the U.S. military base at the Manas airport. Although Bakiyev had previously been playing with the idea of ousting the U.S. base, his statements... MORE
Bakiyev Stifles Small and Medium Businesses, Further Angers the Public
Last December Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev amended the tax code, significantly increasing taxes for small and medium-sized businesses. A month later the effect of the new tax is being acutely felt, with numerous businesses shutting down and unemployment rising. In the meantime, the number of... MORE
Bakiyev Strengthens Control over Armed Forces Ahead of Opposition Revolts
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s recent personnel reshuffles have shown that he is concerned about a potentially unstable spring as well as presidential elections tentatively scheduled for 2010. Bakiyev has replaced all heads of security structures and revamped cadres in his administration. Furthermore, in December he... MORE
Kyrgyz Opposition Plans Spring Revolt
During a visit to the United States from December 10 to 19, the leader the Kyrgyz Ata Meken opposition party, Omurbek Tekebayev, his colleagues, and representative of the For Justice movement repeatedly mentioned a plan to challenge President Kurmanbek Bakiyev this March by organizing crowds... MORE
Need for More Transparency in Kyrgyz and Tajik Energy Sectors to Avoid Future Crises
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, both upstream countries with abundant water resources, face the same problem: their water resources are benefiting the ruling regimes while the public is deprived of basic services. In Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s regime has allegedly been secretly selling electricity to neighboring Kazakhstan... MORE
Bakiyev Anticipates a Harsh Winter and an Energy Crisis, Further Restricts Free Speech
In the past few weeks the Kyrgyz government has been blocking transmission of Radio Free Europe (Azattyk) and BBC radio, both of which have a broadcast range covering the entire country. The ban comes at a time of a worsening energy crisis, rampant inflation, mobilization... MORE
Russia Drums Up Support for Its Airbase in Kyrgyzstan
Five years after its establishment, Moscow will more than double its spending on the Russian military airbase in Kyrgyzstan’s Kant city. In 2009 and 2010 Moscow will spend 1.7 billion rubles ($60 million) compared with the 640 million rubles ($22.7 million) spent from 2003 through... MORE
Kyrgyz Security Structures Plagued by Corruption
In an effort to allay fears of rising Islamic extremism in Kyrgyzstan, Secretary of the Kyrgyz Security Council Adakhan Madumarov has held several meetings with residents of Nookat, Kara-Su, and Uzgen districts in southern Osh Region. Unrest in Nookat District on the October 1 Eid... MORE
Kyrgyz Opposition Presents Its Program to the President, Sets Conditions
On December 3 a Kyrgyz opposition group comprised of leading political parties and organizations presented President Kurmanbek Bakiyev with its suggestions for changes necessary in the country’s political and economic systems. In particular, the group submitted a document adopted at a major meeting on November... MORE