Kyrgyz Premier Creates Working Group On Reform
April 05, 2007
Almaz Atambaev (file photo) (AFP)
BISHKEK, April 5, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyz Prime Minister Almaz Atambaev today signed an order to establish a working group that will prepare proposals for improving the workings of the governmental system, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.
Among the 11 members of the working group are moderate opposition politicians Roza Otunbaeva and Ishenbay Abdyrazakov.
However, representatives of the opposition bloc the United Front for a Worthy Future for Kyrgyzstan started a hunger strike today, rejecting the idea of establishing the working group for constitutional reforms.
They want instead the resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiev.
"Our [main] demand is not constitutional reform," United Front member Beknazar Orunov told RFE/RL today. "Our demand is the resignation of Bakiev. He has established many such constitutional working groups before. Why is he moving us to different sides like a juggler? There won't be any reform in our [country] unless he goes."