Kyrgyz Governors Swapped One Week After Standoff
January 31, 2006
31 January 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev has transferred the governor of a restive southern province away from his home constituency in a move that appears designed to reassert central government authority.
Bakiev's office said presidential orders signed on 28 January replaced Talal-Abad Governor Jusupjan Jeenbekov with Talas Governor Iskender Aidaraliev. Jeenbekov will be sent to serve in the northwestern Talas Province.
The president has said the rotation of governors will help prevent corruption.
A minor crisis arose when Jeenbekov resisted the president's attempt to send him to Talas earlier this month before he reportedly agreed to step down after talks with the president in the capital Bishkek.
The initial dismissal order was announced on 19 January, also sparking anger among Jeenbekov supporters in Jalal-Abad.
Jeenbekov was elected Jalalabad's governor by a special people's assembly after the ouster of former President Askar Akaev in March.
(with additional agency reports)