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Business in Kyrgyzstan demands revision of anti-smoking bill

Bill on protection of health of citizens from the effects of tobacco consumption and exposure to surrounding tobacco smoke (aerosol) should be returned for revision. An expert of the Anti-Corruption Council under the Government Arthur Tashibekov told today at a press conference.

The bill has passed the procedure for analyzing the regulatory impact with gross violations.

Arthur Tashibekov

Comments of relevant business communities were not taken into account. In violation of the law on regulatory legal acts, the comments of the Eurasian Economic Commission, the Association of Markets, trade and service enterprises, the International Business Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Suppliers were excluded from it.

«There are no reasons for ignoring the comments in the background statement. This suggests that developers are interested not in finding an optimal solution, but in worsening conditions for doing business in the country,» the expert believes.

The Ministry of Health writes in the background statement that there were no corruption factors in the draft law, but we see obvious corruption zones in the document.

Arthur Tashibekov

«Its adoption in this form will contribute to a significant growth of the illegal cigarette market and will not reduce the number of smokers, but, on the contrary, will make counterfeit tobacco products more accessible. The bill should be returned for revision taking into account feedback from retailers and government agencies,» Arthur Tashibekov summed up.

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