Jogorku Kenesh in the first reading adopted a bill on the recognition of the Law "On the Prohibition of Activities Related to Geological Exploration of Subsoil for the Purpose of Searching, Prospecting, and Development of Uranium, Thorium Deposits in the Kyrgyz Republic" as obsolete.
The bill on the prohibition of the development of uranium and thorium deposits, adopted in 2019, is aimed at protecting the health of the population, land, water bodies, plant and animal life, ensuring the rights of citizens to a favorable environment for life, work, and recreation, as well as establishing radiation and environmental safety.
The explanatory note to the current bill on its obsolescence states that at the time of the document's development and adoption, the initiator could not foresee the negative economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposition of extensive financial sanctions against Russia.
"According to the International Monetary Fund, the economy of Kyrgyzstan is among the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The volume of production in Kyrgyzstan in 2020 decreased by more than 8 percent. Tourism in Kyrgyzstan decreased by almost 80 percent. The transport, trade, and construction sectors of the economy also suffered heavy damage during the pandemic. It also contributed to a sharp decline in population incomes and an increase in unemployment. In 2020, Kyrgyzstan's economy continued to depend significantly on the extraction and export of gold," the document states.
The decision to allow the exploration and development of uranium and thorium is also justified by the inflation rate rising from 3 to 10 percent, GDP falling by over 8 percent, significant budget deficit, decrease in trade turnover, and the devaluation of the som.
The explanatory note states that due to the severe economic consequences of the events of 2020-2023, Kyrgyzstan's economy is in dire need of alternative sources of income. Provided that strict adherence to environmental norms and standards in carrying out activities related to the extraction of uranium and thorium, the export of minerals has the potential to become important components of Kyrgyzstan's economy.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision, Melis Turganbayev, stated that the recognition of the law prohibiting the exploration and development of uranium and thorium does not mean that Kyrgyzstan intends to extract them.
"For the extraction of uranium to be profitable, there must be 40-50 tons in the deposit. Kyrgyzstan does not have such reserves. There are ore showings in 83 places ranging from 0.01 to 0.08 percent in different areas. Our goal is not uranium but associated metals," the minister said.
He explained to the deputies that the government intends to extract titanomagnetite. The associated uranium and thorium, to prevent harm to the environment, will also be extracted, then the thorium will be separated and stored at the Kara-Baltinskiy plant, and if there is demand from other countries, the uranium will be sold.
"We don't need uranium. We don't have the capability to enrich it," the minister added.
Deputy Iskhak Masaliev noted that if the government intends to extract titanomagnetite, there is no point in recognizing the bill prohibiting the exploration and development of uranium and thorium. After all, there is no ban on extracting titanomagnetite.
The deputy reminded that before extracting uranium in Kadamzhai, Aidarken, and other places, promises were always made that there would be no harm to the health of the population, yet to this day, Kyrgyzstan cannot get rid of the harmful production waste.
The deputy stated his opposition to the bill and called on colleagues not to authorize the exploration and development of uranium and thorium for now. Despite this, the deputies adopted the bill in the first reading.
