«The decision to introduce som can be called perspicacious, it was bold and required from the authorities to be courageous,» said the Chairman of the National Bank of Switzerland, Thomas Jordan.
According to him, the anniversary of som is a milestone in the history of Kyrgyzstan. The state was the first to introduce the national currency among the post-Soviet countries. This served as an example for other states in the region. The creation of the national currency was a prerequisite for an independent monetary policy, allowing the National Bank to become the main settlements center.
«Som is a symbol of the national identity of Kyrgyzstan. The people have every reason to be proud of it. When it was introduced, many observers were skeptical about the survivability of the new currency. But som withstood high inflation, problems with capital and other problems. One of the key historical lessons of som introduction is that when perspicacity is combined with perseverance, achievements are quite possible,» Thomas Jordan believes.
