Neighbours squeezing Kyrgyzstan out of Central Asian commodity markets
High tariffs imposed by neighbouring countries on imports of coal, leather, glass and engineering products are effectively squeezing the Kyrgyzstan Republic out of the Central Asian commodity producers market, the Kyrgyz newspaper Delo No claimed last week.
Kyrgyz manufacturers say the authorities of the neighbouring republics are deliberately exerting excessive pressure on them, under the pretext of protecting their own producers. Kazakhstan is seen as being the worst offender, having also imposed high export duties on Kyrgyz-bound raw materials and inflated its transportation costs for Kyrgyz freight in transit.
The newspaper report concluded by calling upon the government for retaliatory legislation, or else face the prospect of economic collapse.
