European Forum

New government established in Kyrgyzstan

The new government of Kyrgyzstan has held its first meeting on Monday 20 December, ending more than two months of political uncertainty, and opening a new era for the nation. President Roza Otunbayeva took the opportunity to announce a new government structure. "Today we have gotten the new government," she said, "the caretaker government will devolve its power on the new cabinet." Otunbayeva also announced that she has quit as the Prime Minister of the interim government. The power has now been transferred to the new Prime Minister, Almazbek Atambayev (picture, left), who is the leader of the social democratic party.

Members of the government
Last week, on 17 December, the Kyrgyz parliament had approved the new government coalition of the Respublika Party (which had been instructed to form the coalition), together with the Social Democratic Party and the Ata-Jurt Party. They control 77 out of 120 seats in the parliament. Previously, a coalition of the Social Democratic Party, Respublika and Ata Meken had been formed by Almazbek Atambayev, but it collapsed after it failed to elect a new speaker of parliament. The new government has eighteen ministries, and includes Prime Minister Atambayev, First Vice Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov (head of the Respublika Party), Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev, Minister of the Interior Zarylbek Rysaliev, and Minister of Finance Chorobek Imashey, among others. Akhmatbek Keldibekov (picture, right), leader of the Ata-Jurt Party, was chosen speaker of the parliament.

Women
Notably, the new Kyrgyz government does not have any women. "I have raised the issue, asking them why no woman was included, and I could not get any reasoned answer to that," said Ravshan Jeenbekov from the opposition Ata Meken Party. "Maybe the three fractions of the coalition do not have any educated, experienced, and reputable woman among them." Vice Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov, who promised to explain it, did not address the matter any further. Gender activists fear that without women in the government, female parliamentary deputies will not be able to effectively protect interests of different segments of the population.

Issues
The new government will have to tackle many problems, such as corruption, a lagging economy, rising unemployment, teachers demanding higher wages, and energy shortages. Moreover, there is still no budget for 2011. Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev will also have to maintain a geopolitical balance between Russia and the United States, as it is the only country that hosts military bases for both. Atambayev told the parliament on 17 December that the Manas base will remain an American transit centre for four more years, as only one year has passed of a five-year agreement with the United States. He also said that his first foreign visit as the new Kyrgyz Prime Minister would be to Russia, because “Russia is and always has been our strategic partner”.

Sources: Xinhuanet, RFERL, 24KG