For more than a week, the situation on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border has been extremely tense. The economy has become a hostage of politics. The only way out is to negotiate, and the first contact has been already established.
Reinforcement on border turns into blockade
Problems on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border began in the evening of October 10. The alarming news came from Ak-Jol checkpoint. Thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles could not cross the border.
Later it became clear that the tightened control was not limited to people. Goods had been carefully examined. As a result, heavy trucks with fruits and vegetables stood on the border for several days. When the turn comes, there is nothing to carry: the goods are hopelessly rotten.
Kazakhstan also has an answer to this. Yes, veterinary and phytosanitary posts have been really strengthened. This is caused by a large number of complaints and violations found.
«From October 10 to October 17, 835 vehicles of Kyrgyz carriers had been checked. One in eight of them moved along the route with gross violations of the transport legislation of
In response, the Ministry of Economy of
Objective flaws or nitpicking?
Expert Azamat Akeneev calls on the Kyrgyz side not to dramatize the situation. Instead of trying to take revenge on the neighbor, it’s better to pay attention to the fact that there really are problems with the quality of the goods and compliance with the laws of the Eurasian Economic Union (ЕEU). Yes, this is a bitter truth, but it is also important to avoid such problems in the future.
If Kazakhstan does not pass some of the cargo from Kyrgyzstan, it is not necessarily the fact that it violates any regulation of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Azamat Akeneev
«Our products must comply with all the standards of EEU in terms of technical regulations and shipping documents. There are strict requirements. Unfortunately, for two years not all companies of
Yes, the difficulties at the border arose not from scratch. They were the result of aggravated political confrontations, and the problem of trade can be solved only at the highest level. But business also must draw conclusions and minimize the possibility of such «nitpicking». After all, heavy trucks, whose goods still meet all the standards, cross the border, though it takes time.
There must be preventive measures, of course. But it does not work in this case. If desired, one can also find fault with a pole.
Sergey Ponomarev
«When heavy trucks with TIR stickers, which say that the goods comply with international norms, are stopped at the border and checked -this is exactly the pole. Who gave the right to violate international norms? If we have any shortcomings, then first we need to write official letters to state agencies with a demand to pay attention to the situation. But it has not been done,» the head of the Association of Markets, Enterprises, Sphere of Services and Trade of Kyrgyzstan, economist Sergey Ponomarev believes.
May Kyrgyzstan withdraw from EEU?
Kazakh political scientist Dosym Satpayev noted that there is a possibility that, in addition to the staunchly conflict Moscow-Minsk duo, there will appear the uncontested Astana-Bishkek in EEU. After all, trade wars and mutual sanctions are an already tested tool.
«And Akorda, apparently, decided to take another step in this direction. But time will tell how far the Kazakh authorities will go. At such rates,
Independent expert Ulan Dzhumanaev is not so categorical, but believes that today’s blockade of Kyrgyzstan should become a serious reason for the country to reflect about the future of EEU and the place of Kyrgyzstan in this union.
«I am deeply convinced that such problems have already become and will continue to be the norm rather than the exception. There is no need to cite all cases of constant reproaches, verbal wars and clashes between
The expert believes that our country should work out its own internal policy and vision of how to overcome all obstacles and serious economic conflicts of this kind.
One of the wise advices is to avoid provocative rhetoric from the Kyrgyz side against the union states. We need to learn how to be fine diplomats and plan actions under different scenarios, including a possible withdrawal from the union.
Ulan Dzhumanaev
Sergey Ponomarev is sure that an appeal to the Eurasian Economic Commission and the World Trade Organization alone will not solve the problem. Business should file lawsuits to the Eurasian court. Yes, it is possible that the decision on the case will take a long time, but there will be a precedent that in the future will be able to stop state agencies from ill-considered actions.
Politics and trade should be separated
The Executive Director of the Association of Trade Enterprises of Kazakhstan Ermek Rakhmetov told 24.kg news agency that their organization closely watches the situation. As of today, consultations have been held with entrepreneurs who are linked by trade relations with
Businessmen selling fruit and vegetable products in Kazakhstan recorded a 20% drop in trade turnover.
«The problems on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border do not increase the prices so far. Only entrepreneurs suffer losses. A decline in profits was recorded. In the future, there may be disruptions in the supply of products. We understand that the consequences can be critical. Our Association will make maximum efforts for soft mediation. I think it will become clear how we should act in the next few days,» Ermek Rakhmetov commented.
He noted that the situation should not be aggravated in any case. It is necessary to act extremely carefully. The main thing that businessmen ask for is that the political difficulties in the relations between the two countries not to affect the trade. The Association sent an official letter to the state bodies of
All parties should understand that good-neighborliness and alliance within the framework of participation of our countries in EEU should not give rise to such situations. I think that the prospects for relations between the two countries should remain friendly and partner.
Ermek Rakhmetov
Sergey Ponomarev expressed the similar point of view. He told 24.kg news agency that the business of our country is also preparing official letters to the state bodies of
«In the current situation, not only the Kyrgyz business suffers. Heavy tricks with the goods that are coming from
P.S. Yesterday, Astana hosted talks between the prime ministers of
