Starting from February 1, 2026, a crisis in the passenger transport market is expected in Kyrgyzstan. Deputy Dastan Bekeshev expressed strong disagreement with the introduction of a new mandatory licensing system for taxi drivers, noting that this will lead to a shortage of vehicles and could cause a real social explosion. According to his forecasts, the cost of rides, which currently ranges from 200 to 300 soms, may rise to 700 to 800 soms after the law comes into effect, which will be a heavy burden for parents who have to transport their children to schools located at significant distances.
Moreover, Bekeshev believes that the new rules may negatively impact certain groups of the population, particularly people with disabilities, for whom passing a medical commission could become a serious obstacle. This also applies to migrants who have returned home and individuals repaying loans. The deputy emphasized the prohibition of work for individuals with criminal records, including those convicted under political articles or for negligent crimes. He stressed that such stigmatization contradicts the principles of humanizing the judicial system and turns past mistakes into a "lifetime stigma," depriving people of the opportunity to earn a living legally.
The situation is further complicated by statistical data: currently, only about 7,000 drivers have obtained official permits, while the total number of taxi drivers in the country ranges from 60,000 to 70,000. This means that in the coming weeks, the number of legal carriers could decrease by almost ten times. Bekeshev insists on the urgent need to revise the licensing conditions to avoid a transport crisis in cities and mass unemployment among citizens.
