Talieva reported that the donor intends to allocate $362.7 million to the energy sector, including funds for the construction of the Kambar-Ata HPP-1.
“Remember how during the time of Sapар Isakov, 'Liglass' received $37 million for the HPP? This money ultimately fell on the shoulders of citizens, and we did not find those responsible,” she said, adding that the current funding is planned through trust funds, but there are no corresponding definitions in the existing legislation. “We must be careful not to repeat the same mistake. In the V convocation, there were cases where committee chairs who overlooked such projects were held accountable,” the deputy noted.
Deputy Minister of Finance Nurbek Akzholov clarified that the proposed financing mechanism was approved by the World Bank, where developed countries make contributions, part of which is allocated to developing states.
Let us recall that in 2012, Kyrgyzstan and Russia signed an agreement for the construction of the Upper Naryn Cascade of HPPs, which includes four stations. However, after 2015, construction stopped due to the economic crisis in Russia, which hindered investors from fulfilling the terms of the agreement. In early 2016, Kyrgyzstan, at the initiative of President Almazbek Atambaev, terminated the contract with the Russian side, remaining indebted $37 million, which had been invested in the project up to that point.
In June 2017, Atambaev announced that a new investor had been found for the project, and on July 10, during the signing of the investment agreement, the company that took on the obligations for the construction of the cascade was revealed to be the Czech firm Liglass Trading CZ s. r. o.
After the signing of the agreement, a scandal arose involving the presidents of the Czech Republic and Kyrgyzstan, as well as their administrations. Kyrgyzstan stated that the Czech company was delaying payments of $37 million to "RusHydro."
In September 2017, Deputy Prime Minister Duyshenbek Zilaliev announced the termination of the contract with Liglass Trading, adding that the $1 million 147 thousand listed as a guarantee deposit would remain with the Kyrgyz side.
In June 2018, new Prime Minister Mukhammedkaly Abylgaziev, in his report to the Jogorku Kenesh, acknowledged that some unsuccessful projects, including the Upper Naryn Cascade of HPPs with "Liglass," negatively affected performance indicators. He emphasized that “the project was insufficiently developed” and the issue of the $37 million had not been resolved.
In February 2022, Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov reported that disputes with Russia over the debt for the Upper Naryn Cascade of HPPs had been resolved, and an agreement had been reached to convert the $37 million in the dispute between "RusHydro" and the Ministry of Energy into internal sovereign debt.
