BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 2. President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Zhaparov, has signed a law aimed at regulating non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country, Trend reports.
This information was announced in a post on his official Facebook page. In his statement, Zhaparov explained the rationale behind this decision.
Zhaparov cited the need for accountability and transparency among NGOs in Kyrgyzstan. He emphasized that NGOs operating in the country for decades were previously unregistered, leading to concerns about accountability and the misuse of funds.
"They just opened bank accounts, took money from foreign donors, and used it as they saw fit, including for personal purposes. From now on, they will be registered with the Ministry of Justice like everyone else. They will open bank accounts. They will start to work openly. There will be no more confusion," he said.
Despite some opposition from foreign donors, Zhaparov assured that there would be no persecution of NGOs, asserting the government's commitment to transparency.
"As the Head of State, I guarantee there will be no persecution... Our state has no secrets to hide from you and your donors. All our information is in the public domain," he affirmed.
He further criticized the misuse of funds by the heads of these organizations.
"Why do non-governmental organizations in developed Western countries register with the Ministry of Justice, the Tax Service, open a bank account, and not do the same when they come to us? Or are we a second-class country? No, we are not. We will no longer allow such dubious actions," he concluded.