• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Bishkek Mayor Reelected Amid Protests

February 04, 2011

BISHKEK -- Dozens of activists are protesting the Bishkek city council's reelection of the mayor, which they say is unconstitutional, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Incumbent Mayor Isa Omurkulov was reelected on February 4 for a four-year term.

Gulnara Aitbaeva, deputy chairwoman of the For Democracy and Civil Society nongovernmental organization, told RFE/RL that Bishkek citizens should elect the mayor in a direct vote instead of the city council voting. She added that the president has no right "to order the date of the mayoral elections."

President Roza Otunbaeva announced on February 2 that the Bishkek mayoral election would be held on February 4 and determined by a vote in the city council.

Meanwhile, Otunbaeva stated officially today that the law, including the new constitution approved in a nationwide referendum in July, allows the president to decide the date for Bishkek mayoral elections.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/article/2297185.html

Copyright (c) 2011. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.