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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Kyrgyz MPs set election date
2005-04-11
Kyrgyzstan's parliament set July 10 as the date for the country's presidential election today and formally accepted the resignation of its ousted leader, Askar Akayev. Parliament also set July 10 as the date for the next presidential elections. Last week it cancelled its own earlier decision to hold the vote on June 26.

The parliamentary speaker, Omurbek Tekebayev, said today that the MPs' decisions were "of historic importance". "We have legitimised the upcoming presidential elections, so that there will be no reason for any arguments and no post-election complications," he said.

MPs voted 38 to 10, with 16 abstentions, to accept Mr Akayev's resignation after mass protests forced him to flee the country last month. Formally ending his rule was a key step to bringing legitimacy to the new leadership. Mr Akayev ruled the former Soviet republic for 15 years, until opposition supporters stormed his office on March 24. The 38 votes in favour of accepting Mr Akayev's resignation, however, represents the slimmest of majorities in the 75-seat parliament after MPs initially rejected his April 4 offer to step down.

The MPs themselves are in question, as it was criticism that Mr Akayev had abused his position to put his friends and relations into parliament that in part brought down his regime. Some MPs have failed to take up their seats, including Mr Akayev's son and daughter, both of whom have fled the country.
"And don't come back!"
Last week, parliament stripped Mr Akayev of special privileges and guarantees he would have enjoyed as president, such as lifetime membership of the nation's security council, a right to address parliament and government, free access to the media and immunity from prosecution for his family. As former president, Mr Akayev himself - who is now living in exile in Moscow - retains immunity in accordance with the Kyrgyz constitution.

Also today, the country's supreme court overturned opposition leader Felix Kulov's corruption conviction, removing the last obstacle he faced in becoming a presidential candidate. Mr Kulov, a former vice president and security chief, spent more than four years in prison on charges he says were politically motivated. He was freed immediately after Mr Akayev was overthrown. Mr Kulov, who was also cleared of an embezzlement conviction last week, is expected to be the main challenger to the acting president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, in the election.
Posted by:Steve White

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