Kyrgyz Prime Minister Quits After Mass Protests Trigger New Vote
Kyrgyz Protesters Attempt to Seize Power in Post-Election Unrest
(Bloomberg) -- Authorities annulled the results of Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan and the prime minister quit after protesters took over government buildings in what President Sooronbay Jeenbekov described as an attempt to seize power.
Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov resigned and was replaced by opposition politician Sadyr Zhaparov, who was freed earlier from prison by protestors, the legislature’s press service said.
The Central Election Commission cited widespread violations in the parliamentary vote in its decision to cancel the results. Parties close to Jeenbekov dominated that election in a vote that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said was tainted by allegations of vote-buying.
Demonstrators protesting the results early Tuesday overran the parliament building and released a former president from jail. One person was killed and 590 wounded in the overnight clashes between protesters and security forces, the government said.
Jeenbekov on Tuesday urged calm and ordered an investigation into the alleged election violations. His opponents claimed to have overthrown the government and called on parliament to gather to name a new cabinet.
A date for new elections must be set within the next 14 days, Central Election Commission official Kubat Umetaliyev said.
Jeenbekov was elected in 2017, backed by his predecessor Almazbek Atambayev. However, Atambayev was later charged with abuse of power and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Protesters released him from detention early Tuesday, according to Interfax.
Kyrgyzstan, a country of 6.5 million, is one of the poorest countries in central Asia, economically reliant on remittances from workers abroad, agriculture and minerals production. A close Russian ally, the country is a member of the Moscow-led Eurasian Union. Two of its presidents have been toppled by popular protests since 2005. Transparency International ranks the country 126 out of 180 in its index of perceptions of corruption.
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