Most people following events in Kyrgyzstan believe that the new constitution that was adopted this month leads Kyrgyzstan in the direction of a parliamentary democracy, where Parliament provides greater balance between the executive and legislative branches. Changes such as parliamentary approval of the cabinet, and putting the national security services under parliamentary control will be welcome in a country where two presidents have grossly abused office to create a kleptocracy benefiting family and friends. What members of parliament may not realize is that a massive effort will be required to build parliament’s administrative capacity to govern effectively and take on the administrative responsibilities previously handled by the executive branch.
According to the Institute for Public Policy, we will not see major changes in the system until 2010, due to the final clauses in the new constitution stating that the president and members of parliament will stay in there seats until then. Leading reformers recognize that the current constitution is full of holes and contradictions, and that political battles are on hold only temporarily. A lot of work will go into turning the constitution into a consistent document, and that means disagreements about the distribution of power are likely to affect the country’s stability again. However, the reform movement in Kyrgyzstan feels empowered by the fact that they have gotten the country back on a track for reform and that momentum is gaining again.
CIPE’s partners believe there is presently a window of opportunity for business advocacy in Kyrgyzstan. Omurbek Abdurakhmanov, is a member of the Bishkek Business Club (BBC) and a leader in the “For Reforms” movement that organized massive protests in the streets of Bishkek this month. He claims that the “For Reforms” movement has the support of many members of parliament and that advocacy can successfully change Kyrgyzstan’s systems of governance. Another BBC member and business owner, Ms. Natalia Gallyamova, says, “We (BBC and the rest of the business community) should not stop and double our effort in further democratization and improvement of economic reforms… the opposition movement ‘For Reforms’ has the support of the majority of members of the parliament; therefore, the movement will initiate the relevant legislation and change the Government structure, including the replacement of Ministers.”
David Hoffman, a former USAID official and long time Central Asia watcher says that civil society in Kyrgyzstan, “needs to step up, to keep on the pressure for reform and avoid the mistakes of victor’s justice. Civil society needs to conduct sober advocacy campaigns on real issues.” It is CIPE’s hope that BBC and other leading civil society and business community members will seize this momentum and window of opportunity, keeping up the pressure for reform because there is still a lot of work left to do.
Published Date: November 17, 2006