In Kyrgyzstan, the documentary film "President" was successfully released, serving as a sort of report by Sadyr Japarov on his work and plans for the future. The elections to the Jogorku Kenesh were also successfully held, demonstrating the increased political maturity of the population. Foreign observers note significant transformations and impressive growth in various sectors of the country's economy.
At first glance, this seems like the perfect moment to breathe a sigh of relief and acknowledge that Kyrgyzstan is moving in the right direction to improve the lives of its citizens, and now it just needs to move forward without obstacles.
However, the year 2026 began unexpectedly, especially against the backdrop of government statements about caring for the needs of the people. In particular, an unexpected transport collapse has begun.
This concerns the licensing of taxi drivers—a significant but belated initiative. Due to the usual delays in Kyrgyzstan, the implementation of these innovations, which was supposed to start in November, has been postponed to February. Officials should think carefully before introducing new requirements: how viable will they be in practice? This is a question that seems to remain unanswered.
As a result, the new regulations have put many taxi drivers in a difficult position. They needed to gather certain documents by December 1, wait in long lines, and face other difficulties, which deprived many drivers of the opportunity to work.
Moreover, taxi drivers were required to provide a certificate of no criminal record, which raises the question: what is the connection between a criminal record and the safe transportation of passengers?
I remember how teachers undergoing mandatory medical examinations were asked: why check for venereal diseases? This is irrelevant since they do not have close contact with students. However, "advanced" educators explained that a teacher might suddenly faint during a lesson, which would be a real trauma for the students.
The situation with taxi drivers is similar. What if a driver shows a tattoo or if chanson music plays in their car? This could be shocking for passengers!
In reality, such rules should be developed considering real conditions. A taxi driver should know the traffic rules well, not confuse the gas with the brake, have good eyesight and mental health, and be sober and ready for conscientious work.
Additionally, the process of obtaining a license should be simple and accessible so that drivers can meet all the requirements without unnecessary stress and costs.
The next innovation concerns the replacement of old indefinite driver's licenses. The head of the president's office, Kanaybek Tumanbaev, explained that the old licenses are not digitized, are not recognized abroad, and have weak security features. He also stated that the old licenses must be replaced starting in 2026.
Everything seems logical, and no one is against it. The year 2026 has just begun, and drivers have enough time to replace their documents. However, as often happens, everything did not go as planned. Drivers realized that they needed to change their licenses starting January 1, and those who did not manage to do so found themselves in a difficult situation.
Officials themselves fueled the hype by announcing free replacements within a month. The word "free" attracted many people who did not consider that replacing a license actually costs a little and would not be a serious financial burden.
As it turned out, a medical certificate for replacing licenses is not needed, but this information reached drivers only when many of them were already standing in line, risking losing their jobs and health due to stress.
At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, some individuals inflated panic around the electricity shortage, frightening citizens with power outages. The unpleasant atmosphere created the illusion of a real electricity shortage, forcing people to prepare for the winter cold. However, by mid-January, the situation normalized. In the past, such "panic inflators" were dealt with strictly.
Now these same individuals have stirred up a wave around the routine event of replacing driver's licenses. This led to overcrowding in medical service centers and huge lines in the auto registration centers, causing nervousness and panic.
It is also worth mentioning digitalization. As always, it was intended to be better, but it turned out as usual. The promised processing of licenses through the "Tunduk" app proved ineffective.
Kanaike (name changed), an experienced driver, shared her experience:
"I received my license in 2007. Unfortunately, it was lost in 2015, and I was issued a new one, which expired in 2025. At the clinic, I was told that the driving certificate now comes in 'Tunduk.' And it was: the next day I received the certificate in the app.
However, when I entered 'My Documents,' I found the old license, but the current one was missing.
I heard that now you can replace your license online through 'Tunduk.' I submitted an application, but the system returned an error 'Applicant not found.' I realized that I would have to go to the auto registration center.
At the center, there was a crowd. My turn was one hundred and fourteen. The specialists suggested everyone submit applications through 'Tunduk,' but many encountered the error again. The operators had no time for breaks; they worked without rest, and the equipment kept freezing.
When my turn came, I learned that I needed to make changes in 'Tunduk' and only then submit a new application. This took a lot of time, and even the issuance of the finished license was delayed. Everything used to be done faster.
How many drivers in Kyrgyzstan found themselves in a similar stressful situation at the end of December and the beginning of January? It's hard to say, but one can speculate based on the number of cars in the country (1.2 million).
Who and why created such a tense situation and conducted these activities so ineffectively? Why should ordinary people suffer because of someone else's decisions based solely on the convenience of a few individuals? How can we ensure that beneficial initiatives do not turn into a mass problem that threatens public discontent?
Should licensing taxi drivers and replacing licenses really be controlled by the president or the head of the GKNB?
Or is someone intentionally putting them in a difficult position?
