With the start of the work of the deputies of the VIII convocation, a new speaker must be elected. Therefore, Kaktus.media reached out to former deputies with questions about the necessary qualities for this position and possible candidates for it.
In the corridors, it is being discussed that Baktybek Sydykov, who received the most votes in constituency No. 13, the election results of which were annulled by the Central Election Commission, may be one of the contenders for this position.
Iskhak Masaliev, Deputy of the VII Convocation
(Post on social media)- In my observations, the president usually recommends a modest and obedient deputy for this position, who would ensure correct voting and not interfere in political processes.Notable exceptions were Almambet Matubraimov in 1995, Omurbek Tekebayev in 2005, Adakhan Madumarov in 2007, and Akhmatbek Keldibekov in 2010, but they were quickly removed. They were too independent and understood the significance of parliament in the power system.
I believe that a competent and independent speaker could bring significant benefits to society by ensuring balance and control in power.At the moment, there are no such personalities among the new deputies. There are educated ones, but none are independent. Unfortunately.
Cholpon Jakupova, former deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh and head of the Public Foundation "Legal Clinic 'Adilet'"
- We need to consider the sad experience of previous convocations. What was memorable about the VI convocation? It systematically undermined the institution of parliament through regulations and powers that deputies voluntarily relinquished. The VII convocation, which we actively focused on, demonstrated astonishing illiteracy: the laws it adopted contradicted the Constitution and even each other. We reported this on the public discussion portal, but unfortunately, it seemed that the deputies of the VII convocation had not even familiarized themselves with the projects.Considering these mistakes and the functions of the Jogorku Kenesh, I believe that most deputies should be economists and lawyers, as this is a legislative body, and economic laws are actively developed here. This does not exclude other professions, but they must possess sufficient literacy to understand the Constitution and laws. Most deputies of the VII convocation lacked this literacy and adopted laws in violation of procedures and regulations.
Jurisprudence emphasizes procedures and procedural norms. It is not only important what the law is, but also how it should be adopted. Therefore, people must understand this.I would like to see more representatives from the social sector. Yes, the economy is growing, but this is accompanied by high inflation, which affects vulnerable populations. Therefore, it is not enough to have only economists; we also need to include representatives from education to ensure the future of our country, otherwise we will face a shortage of personnel, which will negatively impact the economy.
Parliament should protect the interests of the people, not the government. They are the people's representatives, and that is the essence of the Jogorku Kenesh. It should restrain the executive authorities, which tend to abuse their power.In this regard, I would like the speaker to be not only familiar with legislation but also with the procedures for its adoption. While conducting meetings, he should rely on protocols and regulations. But how often were laws adopted without a quorum and normal discussions (20 laws a day), while deadlines were not met?
I would like the speaker, regardless of his profession, to know the regulations and uphold the ethical norms adopted in parliament. When deputies speak publicly and say inappropriate things or behave rudely, this is unacceptable. The speaker must stop this.
The speaker should represent the institution he heads and be able to articulate his thoughts clearly.He must be a manager and a principled person. I hope that among the newly elected, there will be such personalities. This will be a test for the entire deputy corps. We have educated deputies, but often literacy and spirit do not coincide. Educated people are usually cautious, and to protect the independence of parliament, strong-willed people are needed.
I was shocked to learn that 49 deputies remained from the VII convocation. 80% of those 90 are unfamiliar to me; they have not even expressed their opinions. The country is facing serious problems, and they have not approached the microphone even once. I hope they do not enjoy being in an institution that does not command respect: the Jogorku Kenesh has suffered significant reputational losses due to the work of the VII convocation and its speaker! This is terrible! Therefore, it is in their own interest to have a worthy speaker as the face of parliament. They face the task of passing this test with dignity.
There are worthy deputies, such as Gulya Kozhokulova and Dastan Bekeshev. They deserve respect. But the loss for parliament is that Chingiz Aydarbekov, Mirlan Jeenchoroев, and Natalia Nikitenko did not pass. But that has already happened. These elections showed a low interest of voters in the Jogorku Kenesh.Furthermore, the legislation was structured in such a way that worthy citizens could not run: the fees were significantly increased and became non-refundable. Therefore, doctors and teachers cannot afford to participate. 300,000 soms is not so critical for law enforcement representatives. Conditions were created for businessmen and wealthy individuals. They were allowed to hire up to 1,000 campaigners, which created competitive advantages for the rich. Also, many representatives of ethnic groups could not participate due to the requirement to know the Kyrgyz language, although Russian remains an official language according to the Constitution.
I cannot say that I am satisfied with the results of the elections, but I am more concerned about the level of awareness of our population. No matter how much people criticize the VII convocation, half of them were elected again! The illogicality of choosing their representatives terrifies me. Now they should not complain for five years. They chose whom they chose; now they must accept it.
And I wish good luck to the newly elected deputies. I hope they will work on themselves and that the level of parliament will rise compared to the VII convocation.
Zainidin Kurmanov, former speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh
- According to the Constitution, parliament is the only body that adopts laws. Neither the prime minister nor the president can do this. Only parliament makes amendments to the Constitution and constitutional laws. Parliament has found its place in the political system of the country.The USA is also a presidential country, and there is a principle: America can exist without a president, but not without parliament. The president cannot dissolve parliament, but parliament can impeach the president. This is a feature of presidential systems. We also have similar legislation. We call this system American or presidential, although there are differences. In the USA, there is no position of prime minister or chairman of the cabinet of ministers.
In a presidential form of government, parliament is an important and responsible body of power that adopts laws and controls the activities of the executive branch, representing the people. The assertion that parliament in a presidential system is simply a statistical bureau is absolutely incorrect. Because of this opinion, not the best personnel end up there.The speaker, in my opinion, should be communicative, open, and honest. He needs to work with different people, and he should be accessible to all. The speaker is a moderator, not a master. The only thing he can manage is the apparatus. As for the deputies, he should be the first among equals and should not be subordinate to the president, but simply play the role of a moderator.
A person should be wise and well-versed in both domestic and foreign politics, as he will represent parliament abroad. It is very important that he looks presentable, as it concerns the international reputation of the country. Deputies represent not only parliament but also the people of Kyrgyzstan. This representation should be high. Therefore, it is good if the speaker speaks English. This is important, as he also deals with foreign policy and public diplomacy.
This should be a person who can advise the president and the prime minister on what and how to do things, as parliament is a complex system. This should be a strong person.Medetkan Sherimkulov was an excellent speaker. I consider him outstanding because he managed not 90, 105, or 120 deputies, but a whole crowd of 350 people! Managing the masses is difficult; one needs to be one of the deputies.
Among the candidates, there are worthy people. Chingiz Aydarbekov is balanced and reasonable, but he was not elected. Meder Aliyev is sensible, well-educated, and speaks English well. He handles politics and looks good. I think he could become a good speaker, despite his young age.
Also among the deputies is Marlen Mamataliyev. He is young, creative, and constantly undergoes training. I am attracted to his youthful energy. He has already been a deputy for three convocations, and I think he is ready for this role.
Nurlan Shakiev (Turgunbek uulu) is a good guy, but he is only suitable for leading the regional kenesh, not the country. The speaker should be different. It is not worth being obsequious and sycophantic; this is not the best way to confirm one's loyalty.A woman could also become the speaker. The speaker should be the father of parliament, but he can also be a mother. Elvira Surabaldiyeva is educated and attractive; she could handle this role, but she will not be chosen due to her sharpness. Jamila Isaeva is also good; she is calm and balanced, but she left the position of vice-speaker due to health reasons, although she could have become an excellent speaker. She is also a good economist, which is an important aspect. Overall, there are no worthy women among the candidates.
The pool of candidates is limited, although one could appoint a horse, as Emperor Caligula did when he wanted to make his favorite a senator.
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On November 30, early elections for the Jogorku Kenesh were held in Kyrgyzstan. 1,584,446 (36.9%) voters participated, and 100 polling stations were opened abroad.The elections were held under new rules, taking into account the gender quota, according to which there must be at least one female deputy from each constituency.
Overall, the elections were calm, although some violations were recorded.
The final results will be known by December 14, while preliminary results have been published.
