...

Staff changes in Kyrgyzstan due to inefficient activity of state agencies and strengthening of opposition

Politics Materials 24 January 2009 12:18 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 24 /corr. Trend V.Zhavoronkova / The next staff changes in the government of Kyrgyzstan are connected with the ineffective work of government apparat and strengthening of opposition, experts said.

"Today's staff changes and dismissals in the government were long-expected ... governing personnel strongly lagged, and, correspondingly, this affected both the internal and foreign policy of Kyrgyzstan," said Kirghiz political scientist Mars Sariev told Trend .

On Friday the President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev made a number of cadre changes. He dismissed the Head of the Apparat of the Government of Kyrgyzstan, Minister of Education and Science, Deputy Head Presidential Administration, head of foreign policy department of Presidential Administration, head of department for organizational work and policy of state governance of the Presidential Administration and mayor of Osh city.

This is not the first cadre change since the beginning of the year - already in January the Head of the Presidential Administration, Vice Prime Minister, two Deputy Interior Ministers.

Similar changes in the state structures are connected with the ineffectiveness of the work of the government, experts consider.

Changes were long-expected because even during the term of the first President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev, the highest echelon of governance incurred few changes, there were no new personnel, who "corresponded to the spirit of the time" and would know the processes in the world, said Sariev.

The ineffective work of the government can be observed based on the example of energy crisis, late and unconsidered preparation for the financial crisis, said the leader of the faction of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, MP Baktibek Beshimov.

"Large errors were made with solution of economic and social questions of the country," Beshimov told Trend .

The staff changes also can be caused by the significant strengthening of the opposition, which demonstrated new quality from the point of view of political strategy and tactics.

On Dec. 24, the opposition of Kyrgyzstan united in People's Movement, signing an agreement on establishment of the organization.
"The power is very concerned by its strengthening, and cadre changes are an attempt to answer opposition," said Beshimov.

President Bakiyev had only two options, either to conduct reforms or to hold talks with opposition, political commentator Turat Akimov considers.

"He chose the first one and cadre changes will be viewed as new reformative steps," editor-in-chief of Kyrgyz newspaper "Reporter" Akimov told Trend .

The views of experts on how the personnel changes will effect the further activity of the government are controversial. 

"I think this re-arrangement will not cause any considerable change. Just such steps were expected," Akimov said.  

According to Beshimov, the replacement of personnel is not thought-out enough. "The main and only requirement to the government is devotion to the President and in this regard, it will be very difficult to choose professional personnel willing to serve their own country without paying attention to what is going around," Beshimov said.

However, Sariyev thinks that making staff changes, the President can settle the challenging problems facing the Republic.

"The young personnel who got higher education in Europe, Turkey and Russia during the independence of Kyrgyzstan will bring changes to the policy of state agencies," Sariyev said, adding that this step meets opposition's wish to hold cadre changes.

"This will provide an opportunity to settle the problems, and opposition will have a chance for dialogue with the President who is currently changing all outdated nomenclatures," Sariyev said.

The political scientist thinks that the impact of young personnel with new views, fresh opinions and strength can be considered as President's accepting one of the demands of the opposition.  

R. Mashadihasanli (Bishkek) contributed to the article.

Have any feedback? Contact our journalist at:  [email protected]

Latest

Latest