Today, December 17, President Sadyr Japarov addressed the first meeting of the deputies of the new convocation of the Jogorku Kenesh VIII.
Among the participants of the meeting were also members of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.
First, the Chairman of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums of the Kyrgyz Republic, Tynchtyk Shainazarov, presented the election results, after which the deputies took the oath.
President's speech (free translation):
“Dear deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh of the eighth convocation!
First of all, I want to sincerely congratulate you on your election! You are beginning your work as representatives of the people and taking an oath to serve the interests of the people.
I hope you will remain true to your promises.
I am confident that you will work with dedication and sincerity for the good of the people and the state.
Today's parliament is unique, as it is formed based on new laws and rules and has gone through a popular selection.
I also want to note that taking the oath is an important step that opens the way for cooperation between us.
Allow me to tell you a little about the history of the Kyrgyz parliament.
You know that the parliament that adopted the Declaration of Independence went down in history as the "legendary parliament," laying the foundations for the democratic development of Kyrgyzstan.
With the adoption of the new Constitution, our legislative body was named the Jogorku Kenesh.
This parliament, consisting of 350 deputies, during the transitional period dismantled the totalitarian regime and adopted significant legal acts that became the foundation of sovereign Kyrgyzstan.
Unfortunately, conflicts between the government and the parliament led to its early dissolution.
In 1995, the Jogorku Kenesh of the first convocation was formed, and in 2000 it became a bicameral parliament.
Later, in 2005, changes were made to the legislation, and a unicameral parliament was elected.
I myself was elected to that parliament and began my political journey, witnessing many events and gaining experience.
You remember that the Jogorku Kenesh of the third convocation was dissolved in 2007, and after that, the Constitution was changed again.
In 2010, after the revolution, the parliament was also disbanded, and a parliamentary form of governance was introduced, but this led to an increase in political corruption.
During that period, positions became a subject of trade, and corruption affected even the lower levels of power.
Ministers reported not to the president but to the deputies, which created serious problems for the country's development.
Thus, since 2020, the corrupt system has left deep wounds in our state.
The trust of the people in the government has been undermined, and even members of organized criminal groups became deputies.
Our task is to change this situation.
In recent years, we have begun an active fight against political corruption and see positive changes.
We have opened specialized schools to train future personnel, which is an important step towards improving personnel policy.
In 2023, the "Akyilman" school was established in Cholpon-Ata, where talented children from all over the country are selected for preparation to study at the best universities.
Currently, 260 students are studying at the school, and we plan to open similar institutions in other regions.
Our goal is to prepare a new generation of personnel who will be able to govern the country in the future.
I urge you, esteemed deputies, to work honestly and responsibly, avoiding past mistakes.
The personnel policy must be transparent and effective to avoid corrupt schemes.
I also draw attention to the wrong practices that exist in the work of deputies when they try to bargain for projects.
Let us strive for the rational use of budget funds and build quality facilities that are truly needed by the people.
Ministers must work on the development of their departments, and deputies must oversee this.
Another important task is to increase voter turnout. We must develop mechanisms that encourage active citizen participation in elections.
Political corruption has no place in the new system, and we will continue the fight against it.
As long as corrupt practices remain in the akimats, we cannot consider the situation satisfactory.
We must leave all the bad in the past and move together towards the development and improvement of the political culture in the country.
If we work together, our people will follow us, and political culture will become the norm.
I urge all of you to actively participate in the development of laws and monitor their implementation.
Let us together use all opportunities to build a new Kyrgyzstan!
Now we have the potential for growth and development, and we must use it to the fullest.
Thank God, in terms of economic growth rates, we are among the top three leaders in the world.
The gross domestic product of Kyrgyzstan has grown by 10%, and we expect that by the end of the year, the budget will reach 1.2 trillion soms.
We have also significantly increased our gold and foreign exchange reserves, which indicates the stability of our economy.
If we all fulfill our duties, we will meet the expectations of the people.
I wish you all success in achieving the tasks set before us!
May the work of the Jogorku Kenesh of the eighth convocation be productive and constructive!
Once again, congratulations on your election!
Thank you for your attention!”
