President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov has publicly addressed the Mayors of Bishkek and Osh, sharply criticizing the excessively strict nighttime raids conducted under the pretext of saving electricity and ensuring public order. His statement was published on his social media account.
The head of state said that his instructions concerned only establishments where public order is genuinely violated: nightclubs, venues hosting large gatherings with alcohol, and banquet halls where events continue late into the night.
However, according to the president, the situation unfolded very differently in practice.
«Inspectors were shutting down even ordinary food establishments, including fast-food chains like KFC. People who were calmly sitting in cafés were forced out, business owners were treated rudely, and electricity and water were cut off without sufficient grounds,» Sadyr Japarov emphasized.
The president demanded an immediate end to such actions.
He reminded local authorities that energy saving should begin with government agencies, which still keep their buildings lit around the clock simply because «the state pays.»
«Don’t go to small small establishments that operate quietly and without violations — do not interfere with their work,» he stated.
On 13 November, Kamchybek Tashiev, head of the State Committee for National Security, called for strict compliance with the law on quiet hours and the Cabinet’s decree requiring that feasts, celebrations, entertainment events, as well as cafés, restaurants, and nightclubs, close no later than 10 p.m. That same evening, the Bishkek and Osh City Halls conducted citywide raids, forcing businesses to shut down at 10 p.m.
