Almazbek Atambayev Signed Laws on the Denunciation of Agreements with the Russian Federation on Hydropower Plant Construction

The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almazbek Atambayev, signed the Laws "On the Denunciation of the Agreement between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Construction and Operation of the Kambaratinskaya HPP-1, signed on September 20, 2012, in Bishkek" and "On the Denunciation of the Agreement between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Construction and Operation of the Upper Naryn Cascade of Hydroelectric Power Stations, signed on September 20, 2012, in Bishkek."

The laws were adopted by the Jogorku Kenesh on January 20, 2016.

It should be noted that the joint project for the construction of the HPP is unfeasible, as experts stated several years ago. However, news about its advancement was circulated in the media, dozens of meetings and negotiations were held regarding its implementation, funds were allocated by the Russian side, and Uzbekistan, a neighboring country in Central Asia, threatened almost with war in the event of the launch of the new cascade of HPPs. In December 2015, the head of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almazbek Atambayev, announced his desire to unilaterally terminate the agreements. The initiator of accelerating the denunciation process was the Prime Minister of the Republic, Temir Sariev, who expressed his desire in early January while visiting the Toktogul HPP, which had suffered from two accidents. Soon after the civil servants returned from their mini-holidays related to the New Year celebrations, the bill for the termination of the agreements was submitted to the country's parliament.

Consideration and revision in parliamentary factions, followed by review in specialized committees, and finally, submission to the chamber concluded with the adoption of the laws in three readings. It is noteworthy that the other party to the agreements – PJSC "RusHydro," according to the press service of this agency, did not receive notification of their impending denunciation. Similarly, CJSC "Upper Naryn HPPs," which received over 37 million dollars from "RusHydro" for the implementation of the Upper Naryn Cascade HPP project, is also working in this direction.
According to the Laws, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic is tasked with notifying the Government of the Russian Federation about the denunciation of the specified Agreements in the established manner.

The laws come into force fifteen days after their official publication.