Kyrgyzstan: Bread prices up, people’s mood down · Global Voices
Asel

The unexpected price increases for bread have sparked hot discussions among Kyrgyzstani bloggers. Along with the prices for gas, electricity and transportation, the cost of bread is the most important economic issue for each normal citizen. Bread is a traditional and essential food in our daily lives. If a loaf used to cost 6 soms (15 cents), now the price went up to 7 soms.
Advocat expresses his opinion regarding the issue on Diesel forum (RU):
During [former President] Akaev’s tenure, the price for bread never increased, but now when everyone says that the lives of the people improve, the prices are going up. Perhaps a price increase is a sign of life improvement for our new government?
Mantank does not think that the government has something to do with the price:
The government cannot regulate market prices, so it is not really its fault.
Yesterday XnifgRon felt the price difference from his own experience:
Everyday I go for lunch to the same café. Today the waitress has brought us unbelievably thin slices of bread (3 times thinner than usual) and explained that it is due to price increase. I felt really sorry that from now we have to order three times as much bread.
On neweurasia Mirsulzhan gives (KYR) some reasons why bread is more expensive now.
People are also concerned very much about the new restriction the government is likely to set on entering the capital Bishkek during SCO summit from 4 till 19 August.
Asel posts an article (ENG) which says that the authorities are going to control the movement to Bishkek by checking all cars and probably limiting the flow of people coming to Bishkek. Unfortunately, no one from the authority can really address this issue and give concrete information on how the process is going to actually work.
This causes so much uncertainty and inconvenience among ordinary people who have no access to reliable information. For example, S@ilor says:
I have talked to the drivers of local minibuses or ‘marshrutkas’ about the regulation and what they know about it. Nobody knows anything. Looks like again we will find out about it last minute, and people will suffer from it.
Well, let me finish on a more positive note. Today, 1 August, is the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev’s birthday. He is now 58 years old. The blogger morrire has conducted a small survey to find out what bloggers think would be the best present for our President. 30 bloggers took part in the survey and the results show the following:
41,4% – no present at all
37.9% – Chinese tractor
17.2% – head of sheep
13.8%-  noodle
10.3%-  air ticket to Moscow
You can view the full version  (RU) of the survey here.
Funny choice of presents, huh?