BISHKEK/OSH. June 23 (Interfax) - Supporters of former Kyrgyz parliament speaker, Ata Zhurt opposition faction deputy Ahmatbek Keldibekov unblocked on Sunday the Osh-Irkeshtam international route in southern Kyrgyzstan, which had been closed for more than 20 days.
"The route reopened at 5:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. Moscow time) after the latest round of negotiations between the protesters, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister for security issues Abdyrakhman Mamataliev and parliament deputy Ismail Isakov, who explained that the road blocking was harmful for average citizens and the southern region's economy sustained serious losses," a southern Kyrgyz police department representative told Interfax.
He declined to say on which terms the road had been unblocked and whether the protesters made new demands and the authorities agreed to meet them.
Keldibekov's supporters blocked the road to China on May 27 and demanded that the deputy be transferred from a detention facility to house arrest and be allowed to go abroad for medical treatment.
Earlier the protesters met with Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev and the Supreme Court chairman in Bishkek. They spelled out their terms but were told that the situation would be resolved consistent with the legislation.
Keldibekov was detained in Bishkek on November 20 on the counts of corruption and abuse of office of the head of the Social Fund (2002-2005), the Tax Service (2008-2009) and the Kyrgyz parliament speaker (2010-2011).
Several hundreds of vehicles on their way to China and back were stranded on the road, which had been blocked for more than 25 days. The Kyrgyz Customs Service assessed the daily losses from the suspended traffic along the Osh-Irkeshtam road at up to $200,000.