Translated with AI
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov criticized mayors for being overly harsh during nighttime patrols aimed at conserving electricity and maintaining public order. The head of state wrote this on his Facebook page, according to Fergana.ru.
The President addressed city administration heads, specifically the mayors of Bishkek and Osh. He recalled that "the instructions on energy conservation and maintaining law and order set a clear objective: to restore order in places where the peace is truly disturbed—in nightclubs where groups of people gather to drink alcohol, as well as in banquet halls where celebrations last until late at night and attract 200 to 800 people."
However, according to Japarov, the implementation of these instructions "revealed excessive harshness on the part of inspectors." He noted that during the raids, "even food service establishments (including fast food chains like KFC) were closed; people sitting peacefully in cafes were ejected; entrepreneurs were treated rudely, and their electricity and water were cut off without sufficient justification."
Japarov demanded an end to "such extremes," emphasizing that energy conservation should begin with government facilities and institutions, which, he said, often keep their lights on 24/7 "out of habit—the state pays for it." "And don't go to small establishments that operate quietly and without violations and don't interfere with their operations!" the president demanded.
Earlier, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Dzhunushaliev, commenting on the new restrictions, stated that the measures apply to establishments hosting large-scale events that consume significant amounts of electricity. "Fast food outlets and stores are not subject to the ban. This applies to entertainment venues—cafes, restaurants, banquet halls, and clubs. All such events must end by 10:00 PM," the mayor clarified, urging residents to turn off all high-power electrical appliances after 10:00 PM.
The day before, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the State Committee for National Security Kamchybek Tashiev demanded strict adherence to the law on silence and the government decree restricting the operation of establishments after 10:00 PM. That same evening, the Bishkek and Osh mayor's offices conducted raids, forcing many food service establishments and entertainment venues to close immediately after 10:00 PM. (The video below shows the raid with Osh Mayor Zhenishbek Toktorbaev participating.)
In light of these events, the Horeca Club association, which represents businesses in the hotel and restaurant sector, addressed Tashiev with an open letter. In the letter, the association expressed concern about the impact of power outages and operating hours restrictions.
According to the association, there are 16,772 businesses operating in the industry, providing employment to up to 500,000 people, primarily young people. Furthermore, HoReCa businesses remain major buyers of agricultural products, and their decline could impact the agricultural sector. Business representatives stated that they comply with noise laws and invest in soundproofing, but during inspections, "fines are often issued without objective noise level measurements."
The association warned that nighttime power outages could lead to mass layoffs, loan defaults, reduced tax revenues, and business closures. The letter calls for "not introducing nighttime power outages," "creating a unified mechanism for objective noise measurement," "considering loan holidays and tax breaks," and "organizing a meeting between the State Committee for National Security, the Cabinet of Ministers, and business representatives" to discuss solutions to avoid economic damage.
