The President Of Kyrgyzstan Threatened To Seize Gazprom's Property In The Country
- 4.11.2026, 17:23
The Russian company is not fulfilling its obligations.
Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Zhaparov warned “Gazprom” that he may return the country’s gas infrastructure—which is currently owned by the Russian company—to state control if the company fails to expand the gas network in the republic, reports kaktusmedia.
Zaparov made his statement on November 3 during a meeting with residents of the Aitmatov and Manas districts in the Talas region. During the meeting, Kurmanbek Takeev, a resident of the village of Semetey, requested that gas be extended to the Manas District. The President of Kyrgyzstan responded that the country cannot independently make decisions regarding the expansion of gas networks, since the gas system belongs to “Gazprom”.
“Gazprom is in charge… Therefore, on Kyrgyz territory, we can resolve gas-related issues only with them. That’s how it is for now,” he said.
According to Zaparov, the agreement stipulated that “Gazprom” would allocate funds for the gasification of the entire country, but these obligations have not yet been fulfilled.
“I’ve been raising this issue for two or three years now, telling Gazprom: ‘If you don’t do it, I’ll take it back, just like with Kumtor, and do it myself.’ But until the gas has been transferred to us, I can’t promise you that,” said Zhaparov.
Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed an intergovernmental agreement on gas cooperation in July 2013, and the actual deal to transfer the gas infrastructure to “Gazprom” was finalized in 2014. Russia acquired the company “KyrgyzgazProm,” which owned the republic’s gas transmission and distribution networks. The company was later renamed “Gazprom Kyrgyzstan.”
The Russian side paid one dollar for this, assumed Kyrgyzgaz’s debts totaling at least $40 million, and committed to investing at least 20 billion rubles in infrastructure modernization over five years. Kyrgyzstan granted “Gazprom” the exclusive right to import natural gas and guaranteed protection of its investments against nationalization.