Accessibility links

Breaking News

Kazakh Mortgage Debtors Protest As Tenge Reaches New Low


Mortgage holders protest in front of the ATF bank in Almaty on January 16
Mortgage holders protest in front of the ATF bank in Almaty on January 16

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- In Kazakhstan, dozens of people struggling with the spiraling costs of their foreign currency mortgages have demonstrated in the country's largest city, Almaty.

The protesters gathered on January 12 in front of the ATF Bank and Fortebank offices, saying their loans should be recalculated in tenge with an exchange rate of 182 to $1.

On January 11, the tenge felt to 367 against the dollar at the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange -- its lowest level since Kazakhstan moved to a free floating currency in August 2015.

The currency of Central Asia's biggest energy exporter tumbled more than 40 percent last year as slumping oil prices spurred a flight to dollars.

The decline has triggered several public protests in Almaty and the capital, Astana, in recent months.

  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service

    RFE/RL's Kazakh Service offers informed and accurate reporting in the Kazakh and Russian languages about issues that matter in Kazakhstan, while providing a dynamic platform for audience engagement and the free exchange of news and ideas.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG