The head of the Ministry of Construction, Nurdana Oruntaev, announced that funds from the republican budget and the president's fund will be used to pay off debts to construction companies in Osh. This decision was announced at a meeting with local entrepreneurs and Mayor Janarbek Akayev. The problem was officially recognized only after the change of city leadership and numerous complaints from businesses about unpaid earned funds.
The construction sector in Osh has found itself in a difficult situation: an inspection revealed 33 facilities that were being built without compliance with legal norms. Of these, nine buildings are already completed, while another 24 are at various stages of construction, and none of them have the proper documentation. Despite the developers' statements that the work was carried out in parallel with the design, these facilities turned out to be outside the legal framework, lacking contracts and permits.
The question remains how the relevant ministry could have overlooked such large-scale construction for an extended period. However, the head of the Ministry of Construction likely could not ignore information about the construction of these facilities, as it regularly appeared in the media. Public discussions about new buildings and infrastructure projects were actively conducted, which casts doubt on the agency's claims of ignorance.
To legalize the completed facilities, the ministry will create a special commission to conduct a thorough inspection. Nurdana Oruntaev noted that payment will be made only upon the completion of work. The authorities intend to strictly suppress any attempts to inflate estimates or engage in financial machinations, and the remaining 24 unfinished facilities will be under the ministry's control.
This situation has already led to the first personnel changes. The minister announced the dismissal of the head of the relevant department for insufficient oversight and added that sanctions will also affect other officials who allowed legal violations. At the same time, the Ministry of Construction continues to distance itself from the financial mistakes of the city hall and reminds that Osh has its own budget and management apparatus that should have monitored the legality of actions on the ground.
It should be noted that disputes continue regarding the amount of debt the municipality owes to builders. While the media reported the amount as 12 billion soms, former mayor Zhenishbek Toktorbaev claims it is 2.2 billion. The final amount of the state's financial obligations will only be known after the inspection commission completes its work.
