Kyrgyz parliamentary election set for December
BISHKEK, Oct 23 (Reuters) Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev set a snap parliamentary election for December 16 today following a constitutional referendum that extended his authority in the Central Asian state.
Kyrgyzstan's last parliamentary election in early 2005 led to violent protests that toppled long-serving leader Askar Akayev and brought Bakiyev to power.
''Based on this constitution we will find more effective ways of our country's development,'' Bakiyev, himself elected in a 2005 vote judged free and fair by Western monitors, said after formally signing the new constitution into law.
''Today I signed a decree on holding a parliamentary election and set the date for Sunday December 16.'' The United States has criticised Kyrgyzstan for failing to meet international standards in the referendum on Sunday that gave Bakiyev leeway in picking key officials and paved the way for his party to get into parliament.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe has also expressed concern over reports of ballot-stuffing and other irregularities during the vote.
The impoverished Muslim state, home to a US and a Russian military base, has been volatile since 2005, and Bakiyev's unresolved stand-off with a parliament packed with Akayev-era deputies has fuelled instability.
In Sunday's poll, voters also backed separate amendments changing the election process from a single-constituency system to a proportional all-party list, which should help the pro-president Ak Zhol party gain a footing in parliament.
''These
laws
were
supported
by
our
people,''
Bakiyev
said.
''I
would
like
to
thank
all
Kyrgyz
citizens
for
their
choice.''
The
US
embassy
in
Kyrgyzstan
said
earlier
on
Tuesday
the
referendum
''did
not
meet
the
international
standards
to
which
the
Kyrgyz
Republic
has
committed
itself.''
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