According to him, the new railway line will provide Kyrgyzstan with access to global transport routes and strengthen the country’s economic independence.

The head of state believes that transit traffic will generate stable long-term income for the country, comparable to revenues from the Kumtor mine.

«It can be said that this will become a second Kumtor for the republic,» Japarov said.

The president noted that Kyrgyzstan’s railway network and highways are currently effectively in a «transport dead end.» As a result, the country’s exports and imports largely depend on external factors.

Japarov said that foreign specialists are needed for the construction of the railway. According to him, training the necessary specialists using only domestic resources would take decades.

«We cannot afford to wait, which is why we have started implementing the project now. Otherwise, we would fall behind neighboring countries for many more years,» he said.

The president added that due to prolonged political disputes, Kyrgyzstan has fallen 10–15 years behind neighboring states.

According to Japarov, there are both external and internal forces interested in disrupting the railway construction project. He called on citizens not to obstruct its implementation.

He warned that if construction is halted, Kyrgyzstan will remain dependent in terms of transport and the economy, while the country’s development prospects will be put at risk.