According to Askaliev, after his appeal to the president, representatives of the National Investment Agency contacted him and organized a meeting involving several ministries.
The agenda included issues related to possible benefits and support measures for the development of the automotive industry in Kyrgyzstan.
Askaliev emphasized that the presence of such preferences would allow local producers to compete with imported goods. Previously, the company "Beles" could not win government tenders because the cost of its buses exceeded the price of imports by 20-25%. At the same time, the firm is ready to expand its product range, including the production of trucks.
In addition, the entrepreneur reported that the Bishkek mayor's office plans to purchase 600 buses this year; however, representatives of the municipality did not attend the meeting. A commercial proposal has already been sent to the mayor's office, but no response has been received yet.
Photo from the archive. President Sadyr Japarov at the wheel of a 'Beles' bus during a test drive in 2022
As of now, there have been no official comments on the results of the meeting from the National Investment Agency and relevant ministries.
Previously, Askaliev criticized government agencies for not fulfilling promises made by the president three years ago regarding the purchase of ten domestically produced buses for testing. According to him, he has repeatedly appealed to various government structures, but to no avail.
It is important to note that the "Beles" factory began its operations about three years ago, and the first bus prototype was presented to the head of state.
In 2022–2023, there were statements in Bishkek about the readiness to consider the purchase of domestic buses, provided that the necessary technical and commercial requirements were met. However, later the authorities explained that the choice was made in favor of imported equipment due to requirements regarding supply volumes and transport specifications.
At the beginning of 2026, it was reported that the "Beles" project was temporarily suspended for product refinement in accordance with international standards; however, the company emphasizes that the project is not closed permanently.
