On November 30, the same day on which a bomb exploded outside Bishkek’s Palais des Sports and a day after sporadic gunfire led to mass panic in the country’s southern capital, Osh, Social Democratic Party leader Almas Atambayev finally succeeded in his task of forming a parliamentary coalition to rule the country.
Given the results of the elections, an alliance of at least three parties was necessary in order to form a majority in the Jogorku Kenesh parliament, Kyrgyzstan’s main representative body. Those three parties have now been confirmed as being the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), Respublika and Ata-Meken.
Officially, according to a press release of the parliament, the coalition will be announced at a session of the Jogorku Kenesh on December 2.
However, the distribution of key posts is already known. SPDK leader Almas Atambayev will become prime minister, the leader of Respublika Omurbek Babanov will assume the position of vice-premier whilst Ata-Meken chief Tekebayev will be the parliament’s speaker.
Each of them has, at various times, held these respective positions: Atambayev was prime minister in 2007, Tekebayev was speaker from 2005 to 2006, and Babanov was deputy prime minister in 2009. Under the new constitution, parliament has a whole has more extensive governing powers. The presidency, by contrast, has been weakened.
President Otunbayeva requested the leader of her own former party to form a coalition on November 10, and the process was completed within the 20 day timeframe stipulated, with all positions agreed by November 27.
Ata-Meken’s Terms
The presence of Ata-Meken in the ruling coalition had been under doubt until recently. On the evening of November 27, a thread appeared on popular internet forum Diesel suggesting that Ata Meken had been replaced as potential coalition partners by Ata-Jurt, the party in which many allies of ex-president Kurmanbek Bakiev now work.
A few days prior to the announcement of the coalition, extensive negotiations had reportedly been underway with Felix Kulov’s party Ar-Namys, however, they did not bear fruit: Ar-Namys will join Ata-Jurt, the surprise ‘winners’ of the October 10 election, in a parliamentary minority.
According to SDPK MP Irina Karamushkina, her own party and Respublika were only able to offer terms with which Ata-Meken were fully satisfied after protracted negotiations.
Karamushkina described Ata-Meken’s conditions as the following: Omurbek Tekebayev’s speakership and all officials from their party appointed after April 7 maintaining their positions.
Ata-Meken’s Tashpolot Baltabaev told Kloop.kg, that his party “never refused to enter into a coalition.”
“[Before] the SPDK faction offered conditions that were unacceptable to us,” said Baltabaev.
Other parties
Respublika were not available for comment. Representatives of Ata-Jurt were similarly unavailable for interview at the time of this report.
In turn, the leader of Ar-Namys, Felix Kulov congratulated the parties on having entered into a coalition, calling the formation of the coalition a “good moment for the people.”
“I think there is some merit in the fact that there is a coalition with the parties that led the interim government,” said Kulov in an interview with Kloop.kg.
“If they have made mistakes, they should fix them. Successes they must build on,” said Kulov conciliatorily.
Shootout in Osh
It will be hoped that the formation of a ruling coalition will at last bring a sense of stability to Kyrgyzstan, after the country’s two major cities were rocked by events which government officials have described as “terrorist acts”.
In the southern city of Osh, the scene of horrific violence in June that claimed the lives of over 300 people, a shootout occurred, apparently between people the government has labeled as “terrorists”. Over the course of violence which began in the mid-afternoon of December 2nd , four security operatives were injured and four terrorists were killed. The event continues to be shrouded in mystery.
The Kyrgyz Republic Security Council Secretary Marat Imankulov said at an urgent press conference on the evening of June 29 that a special operation in Osh had been “completed”.
“Three terrorists were killed,” Imankulov confirmed. ”One was blown up by grenade.”
According to the Security Council Secretary, three “terrorists” had caused their own deaths: There was an explosion in the house where they were based and the ceiling caved in on the trio.
A fourth opened fire with a machine gun and subsequently blew himself up with a grenade.
A bomb in Bishkek
The following day, November 30, a bomb exploded outside Bishkek’s Palais Des Sports, the sports complex-cum-ad hoc courthouse in which former members of Kurmanbek Bakiev’s administration and security personnel are currently being tried in connection with the events of April 7. Four security officers were injured in the blast.
The deputy head of the National Security Council Kolbay Musaev blamed terrorist groups including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Union of Islamic Jihad for the blast, adding that it was “connected” to the shootout in Osh.
His immediate superior Imankulov added that “If someone finds questionable substances and devices, I would like to ask that you immediately contact the law enforcement bodies.” The culprits of the explosion in Bishkek have yet to be detained.
Attorney General Azimbek Beknazarov has announced that the court on the events of April 7 will now take place at a different location.
Authors: Chris Rickleton, Eldiyar Arykbaev and Dinara Aydinova