According to Toltoev, the decision was prompted by the unsatisfactory technical condition of part of the fleet. A total of 75 trolleybuses were delivered from the capital to Osh, but they have not yet been officially accepted onto the city’s balance sheet.

«We are refusing 25 trolleybuses because of their worn-out condition,» Toltoev said.

During the discussion, City Council deputies also questioned the practicality of accepting old trolleybuses from Bishkek and suggested considering the purchase of modern electric buses instead.

Between 2014 and 2018, the Bishkek municipality purchased 131 modern trolleybuses using a $23.5 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Part of the funding was also allocated to modernizing the trolleybus power network.

In 2024, trolleybuses were completely phased out of operation in Bishkek. A citizens’ initiative group has argued that the transfer of municipal property was carried out without coordination with the lending bank and without considering public opinion. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that the municipality’s actions were lawful.