Polina Veretelnikova

The last trolleybus of Bishkek: mayor’s decision defies logic and undermines foreign investments in green transport

July 19, 2024 | Read more

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) need to investigate the impact of their public transport projects in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan as the city’s urban mobility system gets a complete overhaul without transparency or public participation.

Bishkek’s electric trolleybuses under threat from ADB-funded transport overhaul

May 2, 2024 | Read more

In an effort to address Bishkek’s pollution issue, the city plans to purchase 120 electric buses as well as a fleet of compressed natural gas buses. However, these may replace the city’s most environmentally friendly mode of transportation – the trolleybus.

Kyrgyzstan’s crackdown on civil society: Are international development banks doing enough?

February 20, 2024 | Read more

Kyrgyzstan is one of the few countries in Central Asia with an active and vibrant civil society, represented by strong human right defenders and active environmental and social issue groups. Last year, however, the Kyrgyz government proposed two repressive laws on non-governmental organisations and the media, which represent a major setback for the country’s democratic future.