Former Prime Minister suggests putting this issue to a referendum
Felix Kulov, the former prime minister, expressed the opinion that the city that will bear the name of Manas should have the status of republican significance, rather than regional. He voiced this on his Facebook page.
Kulov reminded that earlier the deputies of the Jalal-Abad city council proposed to rename the city of Jalal-Abad to Manas. The parliament supported the initiative, adopted the bill, and sent it to the president, who signed the law in September.
“However, questions arose regarding the legality of this law, as Article 14 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic states that only the cities of Bishkek and Osh have the status of republican significance,” he noted. Kulov explained that the law does not specify that Manas receives the status of a republican city. The document clearly states that the Jalal-Abad region is renamed to Manas, and therefore it remains a city of regional significance. If there is a desire to grant Manas the status of a republican city, then it is necessary to amend Article 14, adding that Manas will also be considered a city of republican significance along with Bishkek and Osh,” Kulov added.
He also emphasized that such a change can only be made through a nationwide referendum. According to the Constitution, amendments to the first section, which includes Article 14, can be initiated by no less than 300,000 voters, the president, or two-thirds of the deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh at a referendum appointed by the president.
“I believe that the name of our outstanding hero, who embodies the patriotism, unity, and national pride of the Kyrgyz people, should belong to a city of republican significance. Therefore, it would be reasonable to conduct a popular referendum on this issue, along with other relevant initiatives, such as the possibility of introducing the death penalty,” concluded the former prime minister.
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