OSCE Centre helps organize conference on constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, 24 November 2005 - Constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan is the main topic of a conference that today opened in Bishkek, bringing together government officials, national and international experts, as well as representatives of civil society and the media.

The two-day event, "Constitutional reform in the Kyrgyz Republic: International Review," was organized in co-operation with the Presidential Administration, the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament), the Venice Commission, the United Nations Development Programme, OSCE/ODIHR, the European Comission and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

"We hope that constitutional reform will lead to a more balanced distribution of power and a solid base for the further democratic and socio-economic development of Kyrgyzstan," said Ambassador Markus Muller, Head of the OSCE Centre, in his opening remarks.

Participants welcomed the proposal to abolish the death penalty in Kyrgyzstan and the transfer of power of arrest from the Prosecutor's Office to the judiciary.

Such issues as human rights and freedoms, distribution of authorities among branches of state power, electivity and appointment of state organs, independence of the judiciary, and terms and means of realization of the constitutional reform are also discussed.

"There is only one compulsory criteria for constitutional reform - it should meet the interests of the people," said Aidar Kerimkulov, Deputy Chairperson of the Constitution Council, while reading the address of the Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev. "The new Constitution should help resolve political crises and conflicts instead of creating them."

Jogorku Kenesh deputy, Kubatbek Baibolov, who spoke on behalf of the Parliament, said that the presidential-parliamentary form of governance had exhausted its capacities. "We need to adopt a more democratic form of governance - the parliamentary system," he said.