On January 16, the parliamentary group "Ala-Too" held a meeting to discuss pressing issues in the sewing industry, employment, and the economy. Representatives from the sewing sector and government agencies participated in the discussion.
During the meeting, experts from the sewing industry highlighted difficulties related to working on the Wildberries marketplace, as well as restrictions on entering the Russian market. They emphasized the need for sales diversification and the lack of a laboratory base for certification, which hinders access to European markets. Meeting participants reported the closure of over 3,000 sewing enterprises, resulting in thousands of people losing their jobs and seeking support from the authorities.
Deputy Jumabek Salymbekov asked the Minister of Economy and Commerce about the number of closed sewing enterprises, noting a decrease in production volumes and a loss of competitiveness. He inquired about the measures the ministry is taking to address these issues, considering Kyrgyzstan's status as a member of the EAEU.
Economy Minister Bakyt Sydykov responded that work is currently underway to improve cooperation with Wildberries.
Deputy Seidbek Atambaev raised the issue of attracting foreign specialists from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan to the sewing industry. Talaybek Masabirov added that a logistics center needs to be established and the possibility of providing preferential loans to sewing enterprises should be considered. Bakyt Sydykov confirmed that the Wildberries logistics center is planned to open by 2028. Bolotbek Borbiev emphasized that the sewing industry must be removed from the "shadow" economy.
Cholpon Esenamanova drew attention to the rules for importing goods into Russia, product labeling, and VAT issues. Nilufar Alimjanova added that a comprehensive approach is needed for market diversification for domestic sewing products. Azamzhan Jalilov noted that Kyrgyzstan should make the most of its economic opportunities within the EAEU. Azamat Isirailov pointed out the necessity of creating conditions for the development of local producers and addressing transportation logistics issues.
As a result of the meeting, the parliamentary group "Ala-Too" provided a series of recommendations to the cabinet of ministers to address the identified problems, including issues of preferential lending and market diversification.
