14:40, 18 октября 2022, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Tatyana KUDRYAVTSEVA
Three commercial banks in Kyrgyzstan have suspended servicing of cards of Mir Russian payment system. Websites of financial and credit institutions say.
«In connection with the decision of the partner processing center, servicing of Mir cards in the devices of Kompanion Bank has been suspended since October 4, 2022,» Kompanion Bank said in a statement.
«Servicing of Mir cards of the National Payment Card System in bank’s devices is suspended. Servicing of Visa and Elcard cards continue as usual. Resumption of servicing of Mir cards in the bank’s devices will be announced additionally,» Bakai Bank said in a statement.
Doscredobank also announced suspension of servicing of Mir cards of Russian banks.
«Acceptance and servicing of Mir cards in the bank’s acquiring network is suspended,» the financial and credit institution said in a statement.
The remaining banks have not yet announced a change in the status of cooperation with the Mir system.
The National Bank has previously noted that the country’s commercial banks themselves decide on cooperation with a particular payment system.
At the same time, last week, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk announced the need to expand the network of banks in the Kyrgyz Republic that use Russian payment systems at the Russian-Kyrgyz Investment Forum last week.
«It is necessary to actively promote, develop, expand the network of banks that use Russian payment systems, both the system for confirming financial messages and the Mir card, which is accepted in Kyrgyzstan. We need to expand this network too,» he said.
The United States imposed sanctions against Vladimir Komlev, Director General of the national payment card system of Russia (Mir card operators). The system itself is not included in the sanctions lists. At the same time, it was reported that the United States could impose sanctions for supporting the use of Mir cards outside of Russia.
«The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is ready to take action for support of attempts to circumvent sanctions against Russia, including expanding the use of the National Payment Card System and the national Mir payment system outside the Russian Federation,» the statement says.
Turkish Isbank and DenizBank, as well as some banks in Kazakhstan and Vietnam, announced suspension of accepting Mir cards.