Yearbook 2016
Kyrgyzstan. According to
countryaah, the current population of Kyrgyzstan is 6,524,206.
Reduced production of gold and silver put
severe pressure on the country's economy. In January,
exports fell by about 40% and GDP fell sharply. Kyrgyzstan
was also severely affected by the recession of the Russian
Federation and China's economic slowdown.
The government was in long-standing conflict with
Canada-based Centerra Gold, the owner of the largest gold
mine Kumtor, on the distribution of profits. The Eco Crime
Authority raided Centerra on suspicion of financial crime,
and the company was also fined for environmental damage. It
was the first of several lawsuits on large sums. In June,
President Almazbek Atambayev ordered state prosecutors to
investigate the legality of the agreements with Centerra.
The company, which is the country's largest investor and
taxpayer, said its business was threatened and turned to the
international arbitration tribunal in Stockholm to try to
resolve the disputes with the government.
President Atambayev accused his political opponents of
trying to destabilize the country by escalating a border
conflict with Uzbekistan. He also claimed that the security
service had evidence that opposition politicians intended to
oust him by turning up the crowds. Two accused politicians
responded that the security service's audio recordings were
false.
In April, Prime Minister Temir Sarijev resigned after a
parliamentary commission accused the government of
corruption in procurement for a road construction. Sariyev
said he was innocent, claiming that political rivals were
trying to hurt the government through rumors.
As new Prime Minister, Parliament elected President
Atambayev's ally Sooronbay Jeenbekov. He was nominated by
Atambayev's party of the Social Democrats, the largest in
the four-party government.
In August, 17 Kyrgyz guest workers were killed in a fire
in Moscow. About half a million Kyrgyz people work in the
Russian Federation, often in poor environments and with poor
fire safety.
In August, China's embassy in Bishkek was attacked by a
suicide bomber, who himself lost his life and injured three
security guards. Suspicions were directed at Uighur
separatists from neighboring Chinese Xinjiang.
President Atambayev ran a referendum during the year on
amendments to the constitution that strengthened the prime
minister's role. The opposition accused Atambayev of
planning to take over that role himself when he resigns as
president in 2017.
In the midst of the conflict, Atambayev was removed from
the country when on his way to the UN in New York landed in
Turkey and then flown to a Moscow hospital, reportedly with
heart problems. Rumors said that Atambayev was deliberately
staying away if he lost the power struggle at home.
When Atambayev returned, the government cracked down on
the draft constitutional amendment. The Socialist Party of
Fathers thought that the proposal would give the head of
government too much power. Atambayev's Social Democrats left
the coalition, and Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov
resigned. The Social Democrats, Kyrgyzstan Party and Unity
formed a new majority government, where Jeenbekov again
became head of government.
In December, the planned referendum said yes to the
constitutional changes that give the prime minister extended
powers.
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