AKIPRESS.COM - Skills are increasingly becoming an obstacle to doing business in the Kyrgyz Republic, according to the 2013 Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS).

Only 35 percent of firms do not see a problem with skills and education of their labor force making this the 4th most severe problem for doing business in 2013, compared to 10th in 2008.

While in 2008 finding qualified labor was a bigger problem for larger firms, in 2013 small firms also started to face difficulties in recruitment. In 2008 an inadequately educated workforce was cited as major obstacle by 18 percent of small firms, in 2013 this share more than doubled to 40%, while same percentages for larger firms changed significantly less: from 34 to 41% for medium firms and from 29% to 41% for large firms in 2008 and 2013, respectively.

A joint initiative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank Group, the 2012/2013 round of BEEPS surveyed 270 firms in all six oblasts of the Kyrgyz Republic to measure their perceptions and experiences on a broad range of issues concerning the business environment in the country.