Kyrgyzstan says EU removed country from aviation safety blacklist

Kanyshai Butun

Kyrgyzstan has been removed from the European Union’s aviation safety blacklist, the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry said Monday.

In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport announced that all air carriers certified in Kyrgyzstan have been removed from the EU Air Safety List, which bars designated airlines from operating in European Union airspace.

The ministry said the decision followed a meeting of the EU Aviation Safety Committee on May 19-21 and will be formalized through a European Commission regulation.

Kyrgyz airlines had been on the EU Air Safety List since 2006 for failing to meet international safety standards. Airlines on the list are prohibited from operating in EU airspace, including overflights.

According to the ministry, the European Commission praised Kyrgyzstan’s progress, citing technical consultations, an assessment visit in March 2026 and successful hearings in Brussels.

The commission will continue technical cooperation with Kyrgyz authorities to help maintain the improvements, the statement said.