Kyrgyzstan: Parliament rejects prime minister's nomination

Daniel Sershen 1/25/07

In a move that could prove a political milestone for Kyrgyzstan, the country's parliament on January 25 refused for the second time to confirm Feliks Kulov as prime minister, a role he had been fulfilling temporarily since the Kyrgyz cabinet resigned in December. It now appears that President Kurmanbek Bakiyev will try to forge a deal with parliament on a compromise candidate, thereby possibly avoiding an extension of Kyrgyzstan's political crisis.

Frenzied, if brief, speculation about whether Kulov would be submitted a third and possibly final time to the Zhogorku Kenesh, or legislature, was put to an end when news emerged about a meeting the afternoon of January 25 between Kulov, Parliamentary Speaker Marat Sultanov, President Bakiyev, and members of his staff.

"Tomorrow, January 26, a new candidate will be introduced to the Zhogorku Kenesh for the post of Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic," read a press release from Bakiyev's office giving details of the meeting. Bakiyev praised Kulov and expressed regret over his rejection by parliament, but noted that the range of urgent issues facing Kyrgyzstan "demand a speedy resolution of the question of the Prime Minister's confirmation," according to the document.

At Sultanov's suggestion, a meeting will be held on January 26 between Bakiyev and the leaders of various parliamentary factions to discuss who the new candidate might be.

Emil Jurayev, deputy director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek, said that a range of moderate figures acceptable to both Bakiyev and parliament were likely under consideration. "If not a full compromise, at the very least they will find a candidate for whom a majority of the deputies will vote," he said.

In late 2006, the Kyrgyz government was brought to a standstill by street protests, battles over constitutional revisions, and the cabinet's resignation. The constitutional crisis passed, but numerous contradictions and inaccuracies continue to plague Kyrgyzstan's founding laws.

One of the remaining uncertainties is whether the president has the authority to disband parliament if his candidate for premier is rejected a third time. Earlier it had appeared that Bakiyev would again submit Kulov for the post, so the possible emergence of a compromise figure would be a significant step toward avoiding further strife.

But Bakiyev's farewell to Kulov has a deeper political significance. The alliance between the pair, known as the tandem, emerged after weeks of demonstrations resulted in the resignation of President Askar Akayev in 2005. To preserve stability and avoid a rift between the country's culturally and historically distinct regions, Bakiyev, a southerner, and Kulov, from the north, joined forces. They won the emergency presidential elections by a landslide.

But political scientist Zainidin Kurmanov says many observers felt that the pairing had outlived its usefulness. "Even those people who used to speak of the necessity of the tandem feel that at present the tandem has become a yoke obstructing development," he said.

"The question is not only about whether parliament will confirm [a given candidate] for premier," Kurmanov continued, but also "whether the new government can work with parliament." Kulov made little effort to cultivate relationships and develop support for his candidacy in parliament, a move made all the more necessary after he clashed with legislators repeatedly in 2006, Kurmanov said.

Opposition parliamentarian Temir Sariyev said that the main explanation for Kulov's rejection was his government's poor performance, especially on economic matters. But, there was also a political reason behind the rejection, he added. "Kulov and Bakiyev were not a single team. The president did not need Kulov," he said, news agency AKIpress reported.

Political analyst Nur Omarov warned, however, that Kulov's departure could lead to increased regional tension. "I think that now a war could begin between regional, clan, and political groupings," he told news agency 24.kg. "This is simply bad for the country."

Kurmanov agreed that regional affiliations became critical when allocating government positions, and said that Bakiyev's choice would have to be a northerner. But he said Bakiyev would also have to decide between a compromise candidate who preserved stability in the country, as Kulov had, or a skilled bureaucrat who could get things done, even if feathers were ruffled in the process.

"Unfortunately, there is no such person [in Kyrgyzstan] who can both preserve stability and be a good manager. So a choice must be made," he said.

Editor's Note: Daniel Sershen is a freelance journalist based in Bishkek. The views of Emil Jurayev do not necessarily represent those of the OSCE Academy.

Posted January 25, 2007 © Eurasianet