Taking note of the resignation of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, following the recent invalidation of the parliamentary elections, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called on all political forces in the country to engage in a constructive and inclusive dialogue on Thursday 15 October.
In his view, this dialogue must be conducted with the full involvement of civil society and having firmly in mind the legitimate demands of the Kyrgyz people, paving the way for new, free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections in line with international standards and under the OSCE/ODIHR’s observation.
Reiterating that it was essential that the powers and competences of the President be exercised within the legal framework of the Kyrgyz Constitution, Mr Borrell considered that the alleged transfer of presidential powers by the Speaker of Parliament to the Prime Minister raised serious questions. The Kyrgyz Republic is a parliamentary democracy and the division of powers must be respected and preserved, he said.
The High Representative added that the EU was confident that the country's recent democratic progress would be preserved in the days and weeks ahead.
The EU is engaged, notably through its Special Representative for Central Asia and its delegation on the ground, through contacts with all political forces in the country, he said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)