A rally took place near the Government House in the capital of Kyrgyzstan
A rally was held near the Government House in the capital of Kyrgyzstan against amendments to the Water Code that would allow strategic enterprises to conduct operations in close proximity to glaciers. About 40 opposition supporters and NGO representatives participated in the protest.
The protesters claim that if Parliament adopts the amendments, it could lead to an ecological disaster, international lawsuits against Kyrgyzstan, and an increase in corruption within government agencies that issue permits for the development of local deposits.
The head of the public foundation "Our Right," Kalicha Umuraliyeva, expressed the opinion that "this bill contradicts the interests of the people" and demanded that the General Prosecutor's Office investigate whether the amendments to the Water Code were initiated with the involvement of corrupt deputies and officials.
"We ask the president not to sign it. The document contradicts the interests not only of our country but of the entire Central Asian region. It will lead to the destruction of glaciers. 'Kumtor' has already destroyed two glaciers, but instead of compensating for the damage, they lobby for such bills. Tomorrow, any glacier could become the subject of economic activity," the human rights activist summarized.
IA REGNUM reminds that the Kumtor mining complex is developing the eponymous gold deposit, which is the largest in Kyrgyzstan. Approximately 15 to 17 tons of gold are produced annually at this mine. This enterprise is one of the budget-forming ones — Kumtor's share in the republic's GDP is about 7.4%, and in the overall volume of industrial production, it exceeds 23%.
It should be noted that the Kyrgyz political opposition has repeatedly held anti-Kumtor pickets, demanding the closure or nationalization of the gold mine. On December 9, 2014, public hearings were initiated on the corresponding bill, but Parliament refused to support the idea of taking the property from the Canadian investor. In September 2017, the authorities of Kyrgyzstan reached a compromise after lengthy negotiations with representatives of Canadian investors involved in the development of the largest gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. On September 11, the parties signed a new agreement.
