Yearender: Top events in Kyrgyzstan in 2021

By Nurzhan Kasmalieva

BISHKEK: 2021 has started in Kyrgyzstan with elections and ended with elections. In general, 2021 was rich in elections and political events. The country continued to fight with novel coronavirus and at last the economic activity started to be restored.

The early presidential elections and a referendum

The early presidential elections were held on Jan. 11 together with the referendum to determine the form of government in the country. The early presidential elections were held due to the resignation of Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov on Oct. 15 after violent protests in Bishkek against the results of the parliamentary elections, which took place on Oct. 4, 2020.

Then, Sadyr Zhaparov, who was released from the colony in October last year during mass disorders, won the election in Kyrgyzstan out of 17 candidates with 79.20 percent of the votes.

The 6th president of independent Kyrgyzstan 52 years old Sadyr Zhaparov officially took office as president of Kyrgyzstan.

After the referendum, where more than 80 percent voted for the presidential form of government, Kyrgyzstan became the country with a presidential form of government.

The new president of the country appointed a new prime minister of Kyrgyzstan by signing a decree to appoint Ulukbek Maripov to this post.

COVID-19 vaccination campaign

Kyrgyzstan started vaccination campaign on March 29 after receiving a batch of Chinese vaccine in the amount of 150,000 doses.

Doctors of intensive care units, infectious diseases hospitals, and ambulances working in the red zone, as well as teachers, border guards, customs officers, law enforcement and security officials were vaccinated at the first stage.

Currently, Kyrgyzstan inoculates its citizens with Sinopharm, Sputnik-V, Sputnik-Light, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

In order to achieve the maximum coverage of the population with vaccination against COVID – 19 the Health Ministry made a decision to vaccinate new categories of citizens, these are 16-18 years old adolescents, pregnant and lactating women.

In addition, revaccination of population has started in Kyrgyzstan on Nov. 17.

Local elections and constitutional referendum

The local elections and constitutional referendum were held in Kyrgyzstan on April 11.

Citizens of Kyrgyzstan elected 796 deputies to 28 city councils and 7,560 deputies to 420 village councils and also vote for the draft constitution.

The draft of new constitution proposes a transition to a presidential form of government, establishing the People’s Kurultai, a political advisory body, and reducing parliamentary seats from 120 to 90, among other things.

Border conflict

The armed conflict in late April on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border in Batken Oblast of Kyrgyzstan brought to numerous casualties and injuries, both among civilians and military personnel. The armed conflict also caused significant property loss for civilians and enterprises.

On April 28-29, the conflict between local residents on the border zone of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan rose to a clash between the military staff of the two countries.

The initial clashes with thrown stones, quickly escalated to gunfire, with reports of heavy weaponry.

The Tajik side attacked houses of civilians, buildings of school, kindergarten, clinic and gas stations of Kyrgyzstan.

Also, the Tajik military captured 10 residents of the Kyrgyz village along with the head of the village. They were later released.

Over 40,000 people were reported to have been evacuated or fled from the border villages in Kyrgyzstan,

According to an official data, as a result of the armed conflict, 190 Kyrgyzstanis were injured, 36 were killed, including two minor children.

Later, on June 28, Sadyr Zhaparov paid official visit to Tajikistan and met with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

Following the talks, the heads of state adopted a joint statement. In addition, members of the official delegations of the two countries signed a number of documents aimed at building up Kyrgyz-Tajik cooperation in various fields.

In mid-September, Sadyr Zhaparov also participated in the CSTO Summit held in Dushanbe, where he raised the issue of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.

The new Constitution

On May 5, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov signed the new Constitution of the country, adopted in the referendum on April 11, 2021.

Also, the president signed the corresponding law on the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The new Constitution provides for a presidential form of government, a new procedure for the formation of executive, legislative and judicial authorities, a political advisory body, the reduction of parliamentary seats from 120 to 90, among other things.

Under the new Constitution the government was transformed into the Cabinet of Ministers and Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov was appointed as Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The third wave of COVID-19

Health authorities in Kyrgyzstan have announced in late July that the third wave of COVID-19 has begun in the country as the epidemiological situation has deteriorated sharply.

The statistics showed that the daily number of new cases was more than 1,000 per day.

The epidemiological situation with COVID-19 has been stabilized in Kyrgyzstan in late August when the number of cases of infection has been declined.

Achievements in Olympic Games

Kyrgyz sportsmen won three medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. All three medals were brought by the wrestlers. Aisuluu Tynybekova and Akzhol Makhmudov won silver medals and Meerim Zhumanazarova won a bronze medal. This was the first medal of Kyrgyzstan at the Olympic Games since 2008.

Besides, freestyle wrestler, four-time Asian champion, two-time world champion, world cup winner, medalist of various international competitions Aisuluu Tynybekova was recognized as the best female wrestler in Asia.

The 30th anniversary of independence of Kyrgyzstan

This year Kyrgyzstan celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence.

The main solemn event with the participation of President Sadyr Zhaparov took place on the central Ala-Too square in Bishkek.

A new system of governing

On October 12, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov signed a decree on the resignation of the cabinet of ministers and appointed Akylbek Zhaparov as the chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The resignation of the Cabinet of Ministers followed after the president signed the Constitutional Law on the Cabinet of Ministers on Oct. 11.

Thus, the Cabinet of Ministers started its functioning completely in accordance with the new Constitution of the country, adopted on May 5, 2021.

The First European Union – Central Asia Economic Forum in Bishkek

The First European Union – Central Asia Economic Forum took place in Bishkek on November 5.

The Forum participants touched upon the transition to a green, sustainable, and climate-friendly economy, digitalization, and the creation of a healthy business environment, discussed a coordinated economic response in support of a green and sustainable recovery from the devastating socio-economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parliamentary elections

Kyrgyzstan conducted the repeat parliamentary elections on November 28. They followed the annulment of the results of the October 2020 elections and the subsequent protests against the election’s conduct.

For the first time, 90 deputies of the Parliament were elected through a mixed electoral system with 54 of them to be elected according to a proportional system from political parties, and 36 others are to be elected from single-mandate constituencies on a majority basis.

As a result of elections, six parties have overcome the five percent barrier, namely – Ata-Zhurt Kyrgyzstan, Ishenim, Yntymak, Alliance, Butun Kyrgyzstan and Yiman Nuru.

New Concept of National Security

Kyrgyzstan adopted a new Concept of National Security of the country. The previous National Security Concept of Kyrgyzstan was approved in 2012.

The new Concept of National Security was approved in order to consolidate efforts and increase the effectiveness of activities to prevent, suppress and neutralize threats to national security of Kyrgyzstan, strengthen the country’s defense capability and international cooperation in this area.

The year ended with good news – President Sadyr Zhaparov announced restoration of economic activity in the country. During the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers devoted to the results of 2021, President Zhaparov said that as a result of the support for the business and investment environment, the economic activity began to be recovered.