Japarov: Kyrgyzstan must be free of crime

The fight against organized criminal groups in Kyrgyzstan will continue, President Sadyr Japarov said at a meeting with residents of Issyk-Kul district and Balykchy. One of the pensioners urged the head of state to step up this work and noted that military veterans were ready to assist.

Sadyr Japarov said that all services had been given the task of making Kyrgyzstan free of crime. He noted that in recent years the country's image on the international stage had changed substantially. The president stressed that whereas previously a search for information about Kyrgyzstan on the internet more often turned up news about crime and rallies, now "attention is drawn by the World Nomad Games, the achievements of Kyrgyz athletes at international competitions, and economic development." According to him, this is why the number of tourists is growing.

He recalled that schoolchildren used to answer that they wanted to become a thief in law, a smotryashchiy (overseer) or a polozhenets. "There will be no more of that!" the president stressed.