Jeenbekov, NB Chief hold economic talks

DM Monitoring

Bishkek: Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov held Friday an online meeting with Chairman of the country’s National Bank Tolkunbek Abdygulov. According to the Kyrgyz president’s press service, measures to ensure stability and security of banking and payment systems, macroeconomic stability in the country in conditions of coronovirus infection pandemic were discussed. According to Tolkunbek Abdygulov, to date the National Bank has directed more than KGS 6 billion in total to support the national economy and the real sector in order to smooth out the negative effects of the disease, to support business entities and the population. Also, with a view to budget support, all profits of the Bank for 2019 in the amount of KGS 2.5 billion soms were directed to support the state budget.
The chairman added the National Bank’s international reserves have reached a historical maximum, amounting to $2 billion 769 million. The growth of reserves is primarily due to the policy of purchasing gold in the domestic market for the national currency. President Jeenbekov noted the special role of the National Bank in maintaining macroeconomic stability. He stressed the importance of preserving the stability of the financial and banking system, the purchasing power of the national currency in the conditions of continuing risks due to the coronavirus pandemic. The head of state also drew attention to the elaboration of a mechanism of additional support for business in the form of issuing soft loans.
Besides, Jeenbekov noted the Bank should continue the policy of increasing the country’s gold and foreign currency reserves, strengthen the work on the digitalization of banking services, which is especially important in current situation. Earlier, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov continues his trips to the regions of the country. Today, Aug. 13 the head of state visited Dzhalal-Abad and Osh Oblasts, his press service reported.
In Dzhalal- Abad Oblast, the Kyrgyz president familiarized with the progress of construction works in the Oblast Clinical Hospital and inspected the new building of the emergency department.
He also got acquainted with the activity of agricultural and industrial enterprises, with the course of implementation of projects, aimed at improvement of the city infrastructure.
Within the visit to Osh Oblast, Jeenbekov toured the implementation of the irrigation project, which will improve water supply on more than 1.5 thousand hectares of land in Uzgen region.
At the same time, he familiarized with the activities of the stone-cutting enterprise, whose products are in demand in the local market and exported to neighboring Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Jeenbekov also inspected the new building of secondary school and the construction of a new maternity hospital in Uzgen region.