Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on Monday signed a new
constitution which was passed by parliament on Dec. 30,
Kyrgyzstan's Kabar news agency reported.
The new law gives the president more power within a transitional
period by 2010, including the right to appoint a new prime minister
with approval from parliament, and the government, the report
said.
On Nov. 8, Kyrgyzstan's parliament passed a constitution under
which the parliament, not the president, was charged with
appointing the country's premier and government.
The coming into force of the new constitution, however, has been
postponed to 2010, which has drawn protests from Prime Minister
Felix Kulov.
Kulov's cabinet resigned on Dec. 19 in a technical procedure to
enforce a new constitution.
Bakiyev then demanded amendments to the constitution in a bid to
stop the political crisis caused by the cabinet's resignation, and
a new draft was approved by parliament on Dec. 30.
(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)
