Kyrgyzstan's Parliament Approves Air Link Expansion with Hungary

The Committee on Transport, Communications, Architecture, and Construction of the Kyrgyz Parliament has reviewed and approved, in the first reading, the draft law on the ratification of the agreement on air transportation between the government of Kyrgyzstan and Hungary.

The agreement was signed on November 5, 2024, in Bishkek, The Caspian Post reports citing Trend.

The Deputy Director of the State Civil Aviation Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, Kanat Tologonov, highlighted that ratifying the agreement would establish a legal framework for operating regular flights, including the transport of passengers, cargo, and mail.

He noted that the direct air link would catalyze deeper cooperation between the two countries across key sectors.

During the discussion, the member of the parliament Ulugbek Ormonov raised concerns over the ongoing efforts to remove the country from the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) blacklist, pointing to the lack of success despite years of attempts. He also questioned the effectiveness of similar agreements with other countries. In response, it was noted that out of 33 countries, air links currently exist with 15. The lawmaker suggested that agreements should not be made with countries where they are unlikely to be operational and called for further analysis on the matter.

In addition, the committee reviewed and approved a bill amending several laws regarding precious metals and gemstones. The legislation aims to reduce the shadow economy surrounding these industries and establish a unified regulatory framework for transactions in these sectors by an authorized state body.