DM Monitoring
BISHKEK: Kyrgyzstan’s parliament voted to end a state of emergency in capital Bishkek as Prime Minister Sadyr Japarov consolidated his power by formally assuming the interim presidency in the country closely allied with Russia.
Ex-president Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who resigned a day earlier, imposed the state of emergency and ordered troops to be deployed in Bishkek last week amid unrest triggered by Oct.4 parliamentary elections.
Japarov, released from prison by his supporters and quickly elected prime minister by parliament, took over the presidency after parliament’s speaker, Kanatbek Isayev, who is first in line under the constitution, declined to do so at the Friday session.
Japarov told the session he would address the nation of 6.5 million within hours.
Moreover, Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov on Thursday declared himself acting president of the country after President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned hours earlier.
At a meeting with protesters in central Bishkek on Thursday, Zhaparov said that after the president resigned, Speaker of the Parliament refused to act as president. “The powers of the president and the prime minister were transferred to me.”
Zhaparov was appointed the prime minister on Wednesday, replacing Kubatbek Boronov, who resigned amid protests.
The protests in Bishkek have started after the parliamentary elections, which were held in Kyrgyzstan on Oct. 4 with the participation of 16 political parties. Preliminary results showed that four parties crossed the 7 percent threshold to enter the parliament.
Some parties which failed to meet the threshold organized nationwide protests the next day, demanding the annulment of the elections. The protests led to clashes between the police and protesters.
Kyrgyzstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) later annulled the results of the elections.
The CEC said last Friday that it will set a time for new parliamentary elections by Nov. 6.
However, the protests are going on in Bishkek and the protesters demand the resignation of President Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
On Thursday, Jeenbekov announced that he has made the decision to resign.
According to the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan, if the president leaves office ahead of schedule, his powers will be performed by the speaker. If it is impossible for the speaker to perform the powers of the president, it will be performed by the prime minister.
On the other hand, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh Kanatbek Isayev refused to serve as president of Kyrgyzstan.
At an extraordinary meeting of parliament he said that such a decision was made in connection with the current situation in the country. Isayev noted that he will make every effort to adopt timely necessary laws and decisions at the parliamentary level.
Sooronbay Jeenbekov announced his intention to resign on Thursday. According to the Constitution, in case of the resignation of the president, the speaker of parliament, in this case, Kanatbek Isayev becomes acting head of state. If the speaker is unable to act as president, then powers are transferred to the prime minister.
Thus, Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov becomes acting president.
