Truck drivers planned rally in Bishkek old square, but were banned from entering

AKIPRESS.COM - The truck drivers were planning to hold a rally in central Bishkek, but they were barred from entering the Old Square area, said Igor Golubev, deputy chairman of the Independent Trade Union of Truckers. Peaceful rally was authorized, but drivers were banned from entering. "There is no sign prohibiting trucks from entering. The trucks removed their cargo bays," Golubev said.
The rally was aimed at turning attention to the problems of carriers, especially because of the pressure on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border.
"The transit to Turkmenistan is closed. They either don't let goods into Kazakhstan or put childish restrictions. They do a full inspection, they make us unload all the goods. They were supposed to use navigation seals, but in fact they hang them after the inspection, which should not be there in the first place. We have a lot of problems, which can make affect economic slowdown. We want the authorities to hear us," he said.
Truck drivers said Kazakhstan is deliberately imposing restrictions and creating traffic jams at the border in order to protect its market.
Police said for their part that the heavy-duty trucks are forbidden to enter the square.