BISHKEK: A draft of new amendments to the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic was presented for public discussion. The referendum was proposed to be held on Jan. 10, the day of early presidential elections. After the publication of the proposed amendments to the Basic Law, a Constitutional Counsel began its work.
This Friday, heads of following sections addressed the first press conference on the work of the Counsel: Bolot Toktobayev – Public Authorities section, member of the Counsel Cholpon Koichumanova, head of the Foundation of the Constitutional Order and Local Government section Urmat Amanaliyev and head of the Human and Civil Rights and Freedoms section Nurlan Sheripov.
According to the speakers, the Constitutional Counsel is not limited in time to consider amendments and make changes. Bolot Toktobaev noted the main criterion of the Counsel is the quality and effective consideration of the draft and amendments.
“Each section has its own stages of development. We still have to interact with each other to make them connected. The Constitution is a single document. As soon as we finish the work, we will tell about it. No time frame was established for us. We try to review each article as efficiently and qualitatively as possible,” Toktobayev said.
In her turn, member of the Counsel Cholpon Koichumanova said the Constitution should not contain such notions as “much more”, “other” and so on. We are working now to make it more specific. When we use the words “much more”, we already lay down the problem, it may cause difficulties in the future,” she explained. Russian language will remain an official language. According to head of the Foundation of the Constitutional Order and Local Government Urmat Amanaliyev, different opinions were offered during the section, but it was decided to leave this norm unchanged.
“This article remains the same as it is written in the current Constitution,” Amanaliyev said. He noted the article stating that the state language of the Kyrgyz Republic is the Kyrgyz language and Russian is used as the official language has already been approved.
“There are no questions in this area. Although there were proposals to use English as the official language as well,” he said.
According to the speakers, the main principle of the current work is the division of power and responsibility.
Member of the Constitutional Counsel Cholpon Koichumanova emphasized the separation of powers remains, and all democratic principles will be preserved.
“All basic democratic principles are fully covered by the new version of the Constitution. – PNP
