Kyrgyz Police Break Up Anti-Customs Union Protest

By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service

May 20, 2014

Police in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, have detained at least seven activists protesting against a Russian-led Customs Union, including the protest's coordinator, Almaz Tajibai. 

The protest in front of the parliament building came as lawmakers were discussing a road map for Kyrgyzstan to join the bloc.

Kyrgyz Economy Minister Temir Sariev said on May 20 that joining the Customs Union, which currently comprises Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, would bring more "pluses to the country than minuses."

Meanwhile, lawmaker Dastan Bekeshov called on the government to organize a public hearing to discuss the pros and cons.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev said earlier his government is trying to postpone joining the Customs Union by one year.

Moscow is pushing former Soviet republics to join the union, saying it will be transformed into the Eurasian Economic Union and be modeled after the EU.