BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's new coalition government was sworn in Wednesday after gaining a vote of confidence in parliament last week.
The swearing-in ceremony of the Cabinet members, headed by Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev, was attended by President Almazbek Atambayev.
In his first meeting with his Cabinet ministers, Otorbaev referred to a decline in tax collection rates for the first three months of this year, and dismissed Prime Ministry Tax Services head and former Kyrgyz Communist Party leader Isaac Masaliyev.
Kyrgyzstan’s three-party coalition government collapsed on March 19 when a partner withdrew from the government.
The government, which had been formed in September 2012, fell when "Ata Meken" (Fatherland) Party withdrew from the coalition, citing a "loss of trust" in former prime minister Zhantoro Satybaldiyev.
A new coalition was formed on March 31 between the Social-Democrat Party, Ata Meken Party and Ar-Namis Party.
The former government was the longest-standing one since the violent uprising in April 2010.
The president called on the parties to start a probe into the corruption allegations that had undermined Satybaldiyev's administration.
Kyrgyz parliament gets Partner for democracy status
Meanwhile Kyrgyzstan has been granted 'parliament partner for democracy' status for the third time since 2009 by the the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Kyrgyzstan is the only central Asian country to have opted for a political system based on parliamentary democracy, and obtaining this status is “an important incentive to further develop democracy, the rule of law and protection of human rights in Kyrgyzstan, ” according to the Parliamentary Assembly.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) also welcomed the country's resolve to implement “deep constitutional, institutional, political and legal reforms in order to strengthen democracy.”
Andreas Gross, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and a Member of Parliament from Switzerland, says, “Kyrgyzstan still has a long way to go towards democracy.”
The Assembly will follow up the situation in the country and will review within two years the progress made in areas such as consolidating the institutional framework, with separation of powers and strengthening the role of the Parliament; holding of free and fair elections; fighting corruption, and reforming the justice system to ensure the independence of the judiciary areas.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
