The European Union has removed all Kyrgyz airlines from the list of air carriers prohibited from operating flights to EU countries. The country had been on the so-called "black list" since 2006. This was reported by the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, according to UNN.
The announcement from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport states that all air carriers certified in Kyrgyzstan have been removed from the List of airlines subject to an operating ban within the European Union.
The relevant decision was made following a meeting of the EU Air Safety Committee held on May 19–21, 2026. In the near future, it will be formalized by a separate European Commission regulation.
Kyrgyzstan had been on the EU "black list" since 2006 due to concerns regarding the flight safety oversight system and civil aviation operations.
Bishkek stated that in recent years, a large-scale reform of the aviation industry has been carried out in the country, aimed at strengthening state supervision of flight safety and bringing the national system into compliance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
"The European Commission highly praised the progress achieved, in particular the results of technical consultations, the assessment visit in March 2026, and the successful hearings in Brussels," the statement said.
It is also noted that the European Commission will continue technical cooperation with the Kyrgyz side to maintain the results achieved and further increase the level of flight safety.