Kyrgyz Prime Minister Azim Isabekov submitted his resignation on
Thursday to "preserve the stability of the country," according to
his press office. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev accepted Isabekov's
departure and immediately appointed opposition figure Almaz
Atambayev as acting prime minister, the presidential press service
announced.
"The Cabinet shall be formed as a government enjoying
credibility with all of the country's leading political forces, or
their majority. Isabekov stepped down in order to create an
opportunity to form such a government," the Itar-Tass news agency
quoted President Bakiyev as saying.
Following Atambayev's nomination, Bakiyev delivered it to the
Parliament for its consideration and approval.
Atambayev, head of the Social Democratic Party, doubles up as a
leader of the For Reform movement, responsible for important
protests through the streets of Bishkek in the last year.
Bakiyev further dismissed five senior officials from their posts
and solicited input from across the political spectrum ahead of
nominating their replacements.
"This is a step towards the formation of a coalition
government," the Russian Interfax news agency quoted Isabekov as
saying. "The government wants to take in new forces and new people,
and add new blood to its ranks and to take the opinion of the
opposition into account."
The five who left their posts were First Deputy Prime Minister
Daniyar Usenov, Chief of Government Staff Tanychbek Tabaldiyev,
Emergencies Minister Janysh Rustenbekov, Health Minister Shayloobek
Niyazov and Economic Development and Trade Minister Sabyrbek
Moldokulov, a cabinet official revealed.
These sweeping changes have come as the president faces repeated
claims that his government has failed to fight corruption or to
tackle a rising crime rate in the Central Asian nation.
On Monday, Kyrgyzstan's opposition groups renewed attacks on the
beleaguered Bakiyev, vowing to forge ahead with planned rallies and
to call for early elections despite his ongoing pledges of real
reform.
Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian nation with a population of 5
million, has been mired in political dispute since Bakiyev took
office in 2005 after a wave of violent protests ousted his
long-serving predecessor Askar Akayev.
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2007)
