On February 16, a delegation from Kyrgyzstan led by First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev paid a working visit to Russia. In Moscow, talks were held with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev on cooperation in the fuel and energy sector.
The meeting was attended by Daniyar Amangeldiev, Energy Minister of Kyrgyzstan Taalaibek Ibraev, Alexey Shirshov, and representatives of RusHydro.
Following the meeting, questions arose in social media and the media regarding Alexey Shirshov’s participation in the negotiations and his role. Amangeldiev commented on the matter to 24.kg news agency.
According to him, Shirshov’s presence at working meetings with Sergei Tsivilev and representatives of RusHydro was driven by the pragmatic state interests and the need for expert support in a complex negotiation process.
«One of the most sensitive and long-standing issues on the agenda is the settlement of the situation surrounding the construction project of the Upper Naryn hydropower plants (HPPs) cascade, which has been remained suspended since 2016. Given that the Russian side insists on the return of invested funds, the Cabinet of Ministers faces the task of finding the most beneficial solution for Kyrgyzstan.
The involvement of Alexey Shirshov is due to his deep knowledge of the project’s history and details dating back to 2008. His awareness of the nuances of the original agreements and technical parameters is necessary to develop a well-argued position for the Kyrgyz side in dialogue with RusHydro.
It is important to note that in the current situation we are using all available resources to move the project forward and protect the republic’s economic interests in the energy sector,» Amangeldiev said.
He also noted that Shirshov had worked with the previous Cabinet of Ministers headed by Akylbek Japarov.
«At that time, he helped return 6 billion soms to the state in the Elcat case and is also assisting in efforts to recover assets of the Bakiyev family from Spain. In those cases, contact with many individuals who could have helped clarify the situation has already been lost, so in this regard Shirshov is useful to us due to his information,» Daniyar Amangeldiev added.
He further stressed that Kyrgyzstan faces an electricity deficit and must promptly address measures to cover it. He recalled that during the presidency of Almazbek Atambayev, the Kyrgyz Republic unilaterally denounced its agreement with RusHydro, which had begun construction of the Upper Naryn HPPs cascade. As a result, the company won arbitration requiring Kyrgyzstan to pay $37 million. Including penalties, the total amount now exceeds $50 million.
«We are currently negotiating with the Russian side and proposing several options for resolving the situation. RusHydro is a corporate company, and one of our proposals is to write off the $37 million debt. Another option involves participation in the construction of the cascade jointly with an investor who has expressed interest in the project. I cannot disclose the investor’s name at this stage, as negotiations are ongoing. We have outlined further steps and agreed to continue work in this direction,» he said.
Earlier, President Sadyr Japarov stated that construction of the Upper Naryn HPPs cascade would not resume until the debt dispute with RusHydro is resolved.
Alexey Shirshov was previously suspected of corruption. He was detained on May 9, 2022, and later released under house arrest. Investigators alleged that he was involved in the illegal withdrawal of high-value real estate from state ownership at Aurora Plus recreation center.
