Nationalization of Kumtor: Who is responsible for consequences?
Friday meeting of Ata Meken faction has devoted to favorite "gold" theme. Accusing the government of delaying Kumtor issue and quarreled with top management of Kyrgyzaltyn, deputies indicated their stubborn position once again: nationalize the mine. Not otherwise.
Unable to push through a bill on imposing criminal liability for the failure of the production guidance of strategic enterprises, implacable opponent of Canadian investors, the leader of Ata Meken Omurbek Tekebayev pressed on another sore point. Bleak news for the provisional arrest of 60 percent of Kyrgyzaltyn shares in Centerra, as a parliamentarian said, "reinforced his thoughts", that it's time to nationalize the tidbit that everyone is trying to bite. And so, by convening the next meeting of like-minded Omurbek Tekebayev criticized the Cabinet for its sluggishness and "irresponsibility". Like, the party gave the task to analyze the consequences of nationalizing mines, and the government is not lifted a finger.
Agreements on Kumtor don't come into force, while the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister delaying the discussion and don't do anything to solve environmental problems," Omurbek Tekebayev protested, demanding from officials in a month to develop a methodology for calculating damages glaciers itself - if they can't do it itself than "copy from other countries".
To put it mildly, the claim is strange. Everyone remembers what a blow the former Prime Minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev had to endure in the parliament, defending the agreement on establishing a joint venture with halved profit, rights, responsibilities and control, including in the field of ecology. And how much efforts were made by the current government and top management of Kyrgyzaltyn to resume negotiations on the restructuring of the project and let them slowly but surely move to the construction of an equal partnership in the joint venture. However, apparently, the last is the very best deal, according to economists, is not to the liking of the elected representatives. As long as the two parties try to reach an agreement, one after another, overcoming barriers, the third create these barriers by appeals and "expert" thoughts. One of these experts from Ata Meken all of a sudden became a former architect Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, getting rid of suspended sentence for abuse of power in 2009, and now is a member of the Central Election Committee.
"Canadians would never agree with the situation when Kyrgyzstan to control the company - the reporter decided for some reason (on new agreement, recall, both parties must appoint equal number of representatives to a board of directors). - There is only one way - nationalization. However, society, zombielike by information that Kumtor will stop its operation if Canadians leave, is strongly against such a decision. Wee are threatened by litigation, but in reality the population does not receive an alternative point of view on this issue. Whether we aren't able to cope with the production by ourselves?"
Although answer to the question is on the surface, the opponents, apparently, eager to experiment, despite the fact that other "experimental" examples, frankly speaking, serve as disappointing sample. For example, Makmalzoloto SE. Precious metals are extracted, but there is no profit. Risking find yourself "zombie", nevertheless I ask: who will be responsible, if the only operating enterprise in Kyrgyzstan, which supports economy of the country, stops its work with all the consequences? Immediately after nationalization, because really our people do not know how to mine gold, or a little later, when it is completely plundered? And besides embarrassed "Oops!" they will be able to say hurrah-patriots, what new arguments will come up, and who will be the chief culprit? How much will eventually the republican budget lose, who will maintain army of state employees and whose pockets will pay off billion claims in arbitration?
Are there any specific answers to these questions from the expert Ishenbay Kadyrbekov, whose competence, by the way, is put in doubt by Kyrgyzaltyn leadership, which participated in the meeting?
"We operate with correct numbers, and according to our calculations, in case of Kumtor nationalization Kyrgyzstan will pay compensation at $3.5 billion for lost profits," the deputy head of Kyrgyzaltyn Kylychbek Shakirov stated.
The deputy chairman smarted for his position of rejection of nationalization. At once he was suspected of treason (what if he has Canadian citizenship and he will run off out of the country?) and recommended the Government to remove him from office and the officer himself - to share his opinion with his wife in the kitchen.
That's the way we decide the matters of state. Ata Meken members approved nationalization of Kumtor without hesitation at the last moment of the meeting. Now the document will be passed to the parliamentary committees. And there is only hope that majority of the deputies will take rational decision on the issue, not so emotionally as adherents of Ata Meken leader.