Scandal Threatens to Topple Government
Scandal Threatens to Topple Government
The Kyrgyz opposition has won a substantial amount of ground and may seek to oust the government following an attempt to frame a leading politician, in which the president’s brother was allegedly implicated, political observers told NBCentralAsia.
Omurbek Tekebaev, a former speaker of parliament who is now a major opposition leader, was arrested and charged with drugs smuggling in Poland on September 6. He was freed after two days by a Warsaw court, which ruled that the narcotics had been planted on him.
Tekebaev left office in February this year after a very public row with President Kurmanbek Bakiev.
On September 11, a parliamentary commission charged with investigating the incident revealed the contents of a letter to the president written by the deputy director of Bishkek’s Manas airport, Nadyr Mamyrov. In the document, Mamyrov alleged that Janysh Bakiev, first deputy chairman of the National Security Service, NSS - and also the president’s brother - ordered him to organise a plot to discredit Tekebaev. The commission reported that it had also had statements from Mamyrov on videotape.
At a special session of parliament the following day, NSS chairman Busurmankul Tabaldiev announced that he was resigning. The same day, Janysh Bakiev was sacked as his deputy by presidential decree.
NBCentralAsia’s political analysts say these actions might not be enough to defuse the situation. The opposition will demand the resignation of the president, the prime minister and the government.
Yet even if a majority in parliament is unhappy with Bakiev, the most it can do is demand an early recall of the cabinet. The legislature does not have powers to force the president to resign.
NBCentralAsia analysts say that the latest developments have given government critics more scope to question its right to remain in power, and have also undermined the role of the presidency as a democratic institution.
The incident has certainly galvanised the opposition on the eve of a congress planned for September 17 in the country’s south. It has also raised Tekebaev’s personal ratings considerably.
There is consensus among NBCentralAsia experts that the Tekebaev incident will lead to an escalation in the confrontation between government and opposition – and the consequences will be felt throughout the country.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Omurbek Tekebaev, a former speaker of parliament who is now a major opposition leader, was arrested and charged with drugs smuggling in Poland on September 6. He was freed after two days by a Warsaw court, which ruled that the narcotics had been planted on him.
Tekebaev left office in February this year after a very public row with President Kurmanbek Bakiev.
On September 11, a parliamentary commission charged with investigating the incident revealed the contents of a letter to the president written by the deputy director of Bishkek’s Manas airport, Nadyr Mamyrov. In the document, Mamyrov alleged that Janysh Bakiev, first deputy chairman of the National Security Service, NSS - and also the president’s brother - ordered him to organise a plot to discredit Tekebaev. The commission reported that it had also had statements from Mamyrov on videotape.
At a special session of parliament the following day, NSS chairman Busurmankul Tabaldiev announced that he was resigning. The same day, Janysh Bakiev was sacked as his deputy by presidential decree.
NBCentralAsia’s political analysts say these actions might not be enough to defuse the situation. The opposition will demand the resignation of the president, the prime minister and the government.
Yet even if a majority in parliament is unhappy with Bakiev, the most it can do is demand an early recall of the cabinet. The legislature does not have powers to force the president to resign.
NBCentralAsia analysts say that the latest developments have given government critics more scope to question its right to remain in power, and have also undermined the role of the presidency as a democratic institution.
The incident has certainly galvanised the opposition on the eve of a congress planned for September 17 in the country’s south. It has also raised Tekebaev’s personal ratings considerably.
There is consensus among NBCentralAsia experts that the Tekebaev incident will lead to an escalation in the confrontation between government and opposition – and the consequences will be felt throughout the country.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
