AKIPRESS.COM - AKIpress prepared an overview of the most important events of Kyrgyzstan in 2013 in the fields of politics, economy, social and cultural sphere and other spheres of life.

January

The year started with the border conflict between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, which took place at Sokh enclave (Batken region). “On January 5, the border guards of Kyrgyz border post Charbak arbitrarily began to install poles for power transmission lines violating international rules and valid intergovernmental agreement without any prior notices,” the Uzbek side said back then. This action caused a series of clashes between the two peoples: Uzbek Sokh enclave residents attacked Kyrgyz border guards. The Uzbek citizens then took Kyrgyz citizens as hostages, some of whom were taken to hospitals upon release. Still, these actions allowed later officials of both countries to start talks on the border issues.

Almost at the same time, the Government of Kyrgyzstan raised the issue of Jerooy gold mine and expressed their intention to announce bids.

President Almazbek Atambaev met US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake. “The agreement between the Kyrgyz and the American Governments concerning the Transit Center at Manas expires in 2014, and after expiry of the agreement term Manas Airport should not have military presence,” the President underlined during the meeting.

Meanwhile, it was decided to toughen punishment for bride kidnapping extending prison sentence up to 10 years, and the Government began to discuss issues concerning Kumtor project. “The Kyrgyz Government is ready for constructive talks with the management of Centerra Gold Inc. concerning Kumtor project,” Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Jantoro Satybaldiev said.

February

The issues of Sokh enclave had been resolved only by early-February: the second round of talks between border authorities of the two countries took place, and the sides pledged to provide free passage through Sokh and Shakhimardan enclaves.

While three parliamentary committees (committee for fuel, energy sector and subsoil use, committee for agrarian policy, water resources, ecology and regional development, committee for international affairs) recommend denunciation of Kumtor project agreement of 2009, former President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev was announced guilty of power abuse and sentenced to 24 years in high security prison in total with confiscation of property. His brother Janysh Bakiev was announced guilty of several crimes as well (being accomplice to a crime, abuse of a corpse by a group of people, kidnapping with use of weapon, etc.) and sentenced to life imprisonment with confiscation of property. Both Bakievs remain on wanted list.

The same month President Atambaev paid official visit to Japan, where he met with Emperor Akihito and Empress Mitiko and signed several bilateral memoranda of cooperation with Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe: between Economy Ministries, Education Ministries and Emergency Ministries of the countries.

March

In March, Respublika faction suggested to express no confidence vote in Bishkek mayor Isa Omurkulov. Still, he saw no reasons for this motion. “Shortcomings exist, I admit this. Radical measures are adopted in their regard. Guilty are brought to administrative and criminal liability,” Omurkulov noticed. Only several months will pass, and he will tender resignation.

Austrian President Heinz Fischer visited Kyrgyzstan this month and met with President Atambaev. “We may support all wishes and intentions of Kyrgyzstan and draw attention of the European Union to this country as part of the European Commission and the Council of Europe, where Austria has a right to vote,” Fischer underscored then.

The Government decided not to raise electricity tariffs for the population in 2013, although annual losses of domestically produced electricity in Kyrgyzstan made around 3 billion kWh. Two milk enterprises of Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek Syut, Kant Syut) were allowed to deliver their production to Kazakhstan. Thereafter, Kazakhstan hasn’t allowed delivery of production of other milk enterprises of Kyrgyzstan yet. In March, Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets, ala-kiyiz and shyrdak, were included into the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

April

In early-April, the Pervomaiskiy district court of Bishkek announced Member of the Parliament Kamchibek Tashiev guilty of attempted seizure of power and sentenced him to 1.6 months in prison. The court also announced MPs Talant Mamytov and Sadyr Japarov guilty of attempted seizure of power. The parliamentarians were arrested after the rally at the central square of Bishkek demanding nationalization of Kumtor mine on 3 October 2012, which resulted in mass disorders. Police had to disperse the protesters headed by the MPs after they tried to storm the Parliament building.

Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Jantoro Satybaldiev met representatives of Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan and South Korean POSCO company on April 4. The sides discussed accomplishment of construction installation works and start of a ferroalloy plant in Tash-Kumyr. First furnace of the plant was planned to be put into commission in the fourth quarter of 2013. However, the plant hasn't been put into commission, and POSCO arrived in Kyrgyzstan in November again to discuss implementation progress of the joint construction project.

While public external debt of Kyrgyzstan neared $3 billion, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Kyrgyzstan on official visit. Several joint documents concerning commercial and economic cooperation were signed after the bilateral talks.

Later, President Atambaev declared he wouldn't run for the second term; and Toronto Stock Exchange announced that cost of shares stock of Kyrgyzstan in Centerra Gold Inc. had reduced by $721.5 million for one year.

May

On May 3, an air crash occurred in between Cholok-Aryk and Chogolo villages, Panfilovsky district of Chui region: KC-135 Stratotanker belonging to the Transit Center at Manas fell into parts in the sky. The fragments of the aircraft fell over 1 kilometer in radius. The air crash left three soldiers of the Transit Center dead.

Two weeks later, commission of the Jerooy gold mine bids officially declared the bids failed since only one bidder decided to participate in the competition but did not submit all required documents on time. The minimum starting price was set at $300 million. “It is disappointing that issues of Kumtor and Jerooy mines have become subjects of manipulation,” Almazbek Atambaev commented later.

On May 28, President of Kyrgyzstan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the State Residence Ak Sai. “Thank you for the invitation and the possibility to see this remarkable place and for that we will have enough time to talk, to use the international meeting for discussion of bilateral relations,” Putin said. Prior to the visit to Kyrgyzstan, he signed a law on Kyrgyzstan's $489 million debt write-off.

By the end of the month, supporters of the previously arrested parliamentarians (Tashiev, Mamytov, Japarov) started a series of protests. They blocked road to Kumtor mine, installed several yurts and put forward several demands to the Kumtor Operating Company, including jobs and repair of roads. The President signed the order declaring the state of emergency in Jety-Oguz district, Issyk-Kul region from May 31 to June 10 in the interests of safety and for the purpose of the soonest normalization of the situation.

June

In contrast to previous months, June appeared to be calm. The most important event accounts for the signing of a law on denunciation of Transit Center agreement with USA. Kyrgyzstan clearly expressed its position in 2011 that Manas Airport should not have any military presence since July 2014. “We won't accept any proposals on the air base now. Since 2012, numerous meetings were held with American officials, however, no concrete proposals on the Transit Center were voiced,” representative of the Government’s Administration explained.

July

The Defense Council approved the military doctrine of Kyrgyzstan in early-July. The Council elaborated main areas of armed forces command reforms and approved the list of strategic sites of Kyrgyzstan.

The session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers Council took place on July 13 in Cholpon-Ata. Foreign Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Foreign Minister of China and SCO Secretary General attended the session.

Another important event for Kyrgyzstan took place in July – intergovernmental agreement on sale of Kyrgyzgas company to Gazprom was signed. “Gazprom will invest in Kyrgyzstan 20 billion rubles over 5 years. Gazprom will also carry out geological exploration, development and extraction of oil and gas. $100 million will be spent for geological exploration over 3 years,” Kyrgyzgas company’s Director General Turgunbek Kulmurzaev explained.

August

This month the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan announced all defendants in Ata Jurt parliamentarians case guilty of attempted violent seizure of power. The Supreme Court changed the sentence for Sadyr Japarov and Kamchibek Tashiev having shortened the prison term for one month to 1 year and 5 months. Tashiev, Japarov and Mamytov were left free since their prison term expired. Still, the Central Election Commission adopted a resolution on the revoke of mandates of Ata Jurt parliamentarians.

In mid-August, a plague case was registered in Issyk-Kul region. 15-year-old boy died as a result in Ak-Suu territorial hospital. The boy stayed in Kashka-Suu pasture, he became ill on August 17 after he arrived in Ichke-Jergez village. The patient died on August 22, his body was taken to Karakol morgue. Plague cases were not registered in Kyrgyzstan since 1981.

A week later, the National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan launched a criminal probe over the extortion of $3 million from Kumtor representative Douglas Grier. On August 28, Kyrgyz TV channels broadcast a report according to which two Kyrgyz citizens extorted money from the Kumtor company. These two people were among the arrangers of the protest in Jety-Oguz district in May and June. Both demanded $3 million, otherwise, they promised to bring back people for the protest in September.

The video shortcut depicts the extorters on the right: “If the Government forces on us, we will launch a civil war, a revolution,” one of them said. Both of them were later arrested.

September

Minister of Finance of Kyrgyzstan Olga Lavrova and Vice President of the Board of the Export-Import Bank of China Liu Liange signed $400 million loan agreement on construction of the North-South alternative road within the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kyrgyzstan. “China is a very important and good neighbor for Kyrgyzstan. We always feel your support and assistance in development of the national economy,” President Almazbek Atambaev said at the meeting with Xi.

Two days later, Kyrgyzstan hosted 13th session of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Presidents of Iran, Afghanistan, Mongolia and other attended the session. The SCO leaders exchanged views concerning relevant international and regional issues, prospects of further development of SCO. The Bishkek declaration adopted at the SCO Summit reflected major approaches to further development of practical cooperation and expressed common intention to make all possible efforts to deepen and expand multifaceted cooperation. Tajikistan took over the SCO Presidency. The next SCO Summit will be held in 2014 in Dushanbe.

October

On October 23, the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan disapproved memorandum of understanding concerning Kumtor project between the Kyrgyz Government, Kyrgyzaltyn, Centerra Gold Inc. of 9 September 2013. In its resolution the Parliament recommended the Kyrgyz Government to continue talks with the Centerra Gold Inc. to boost Kyrgyzstan’s stake up to 67% in the project. Other recommendations included consideration of underground mining, creation and financing of the monitoring center for glacier preservation. The Kyrgyz Government was also recommended to submit the reports of environmental, mining, legal and economic assessments carried by international experts.

The disapproval caused decrease of share price of the Centerra Gold Inc. by 23.22%. The price of the Kyrgyzstan's stock of shares amounted to around $400.167 million on October 23. The price made $307.285 million on October 24. Kyrgyzstan's stock fell by $92.882 million for 24 hours.

Besides, launch of an oil refinery in Kara-Balta was postponed until November 2013, although the refinery had to be launched on 20 October 2013. “First, the company's leadership planned to put the refinery into operation partially. Later, it was decided to launch it entirely. The refinery has also purchased some part of the required oil and mazut,” the representatives of the explained. However, the refinery remains unlaunched as of today.

November

Prosecutor General Aida Salyanova launched criminal probes against MP Akhmatbek Keldibekov on charges with corruption and power abuse in November. Particularly, the criminal probe was launched on power abuse over illegal establishment of the position of the special representative for coordination of actions of Parliament's representatives in international parliamentary organizations. Around 10 million som was spent from the national budget for this position. Keldibekov was also accused of unlawful transfer of tax collection function in form of voluntary tax patents to Business Partner Ltd. He was detained on November 20 and held in the detention facility of the State National Security Committee.

The arrest resulted in a number of protests to support the parliamentarian. For example, protesters blocked Osh-Irkeshtam road on November 24. By the next day, around 500 vehicles had been stuck there.

The process of withdrawal of the Transit Center military from Kyrgyzstan was started in November as well. “We are in a historic moment. I mean withdrawal of the international coalition troops from Afghanistan in 2014 and that the Transit Center at Manas will be withdrawn by 2014. The Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan handed in the note on the Transit Center to the US Ambassador recently. The commission was created on the Transit Center, they will hand over facilities. The process has started,” Defense Minister Talaibek Omuraliev said.

Meanwhile, President Atambaev paid official visit to South Korea and met its President Park Geun-hye. “The new Government of South Korea implements political and national goals, including strengthening of cooperation with the countries of Eurasia. I believe this meeting will become a good base for the further cooperation development between our countries,” she said. A number of documents were signed between the countries as a result of the meeting.

December

The month started with the launch of a criminal probe against mayor of Bishkek Isa Omurkulov on charge with violation of land legislation. The mayor is suspected of illegal re-approval of borders of the city Victory Park named after Dair Asanov with a significant reduction of its territory in terms of the approved General Plan and Detailed Project Plan of the city of Bishkek. Omurkulov is also charged with using of unapproved adjustment of the detailed planning of the southern zone of the city. He tendered resignation a couple days later: “Of course, much has been done, but there were shortcomings also. I apologize before citizens for running out of time to accomplish other improvements in Bishkek,” he stated.

Next day, residents of Osh City were surprised with the similar news about their mayor: Melis Myrzakmatov was dismissed from his post. “Melis Myrzakmatov was an acting mayor of Osh City. So, he was relieved of his duties for the period of the mayoral election,” press secretary of the Prime Minister Melis Erjigitov explained. Currently, the Central Election Commission is engaged in preparation of mayoral elections for both cities.

Probably, the Parliament’s approval of the agreement on Kyrgyzgas transfer to Russian Gazprom became the most important event of December 2013. The parliamentary faction Ata Meken suggested to ratify the agreement with a reservation. Thus, the Gazprom company will possess an exclusive right to import natural gas to Kyrgyzstan's consumers only through gas transmission system of Kyrgyzstan. At the moment, Kyrgyzstan expects Russian State Duma to ratify the agreement.