

73

УДК: 321.7.3

THE CHANGE OF POLITICAL REGIME IN KYRGYZSTAN:

THE REASONS AND CONSEQUENCES

Sh.A. Aytiev

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8260-2133

Osh State University, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, e-mail: saytiev@yahoo.com

DOI:10.14258/ssi(2020)3-05

 is article analyzes the features ofpolitical regime as a way offunctioning ofthe

society’s political system, its role inthe post-revolutionary period offormation andde-

velopment ofthe Kyrgyz statehood. Many ofthe pending issues, such as ethno-nation-

alism, separation ofparties ona regional basis, increasing unemployment, in ation,

weak, non-developing economy, andsecurity problems ofcitizens increasing inrecent

years, as well as the possible political consequences ofunresolved problems are speci-

 ed.  e author sets out his own opinion regarding the prospects andways ofthe coun-

try development inthe context ofthe post-revolutionary situation.

Keywords: state, society, policy, system, regime, process, power, relationships, gov-

ernance, actor, revolution

ИЗМЕНЕНИЕ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОГО РЕЖИМА

ВКЫРГЫЗСТАНЕ: ПРИЧИНЫ ИПОСЛЕДСТВИЯ

Ш. А. Айтиев

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8260-2133

Ошский государственный университет, Бишкек, Кыргызская Республика,

e-mail: saytiev@yahoo.com



  

         

      















Ключевые слова: государство, общество, политика, система, режим,

процесс, власть, отношения, правление, революция

SOCIETY AND SECURITY INSIGHTS

74 № 3 2020

e tragic events that took place in Kyrgyzstan in April and June 2010 became

eloquent proof that the main condition for consistent andeective development ofany

state, without exception, is the people unity andstability inthe society. Never any political

problems anddierences cannot andshould not be resolved through civil society split,

clashes between the people anddestabilization ofthe state. In the history the emergence,

formation anddevelopment ofthe state occurred onthe basis ofsystematic andconsistent

settlement ofall urgent problems ofsocial, economic andpolitical nature. From the rst

days ofits existence, the activity ofthe state authority should be focused onthe develop

ment andimplementation ofbalanced andeective economic policies, literate social poli-

cy anda number ofother events.

Political regime as a way offunctioning ofthe society political system determining

the character ofthe political life ofthe society, systematically reecting the level ofpolitical

freedom andthe attitude ofthe authorities to the legal framework oftheir activity.

Clearly, the political regime ensures the stability ofpolitical power, which is de

ned by the controllability ofthe citizens, dynamics andorientation ofpolitical relations

acceptable for the authorities. At that it ensures achieving the objectives ofboth internal

andexternal policies, implementation ofpolicy priorities based onthe interests ofthe state,

society as a whole. e process offunctioning ofthe political system itself is determined

by the level ofdevelopment andthe intensity ofsocio-political processes, the status ofrela

tionships with the public administration, level ofdevelopment ofsocio-political traditions,

political consciousness andbehavior dominating inthe society. e type of legitimacy

dominating inthe society has a particular importance.

However, before talking about the prospects ofpolitical development ofthe Kyrgyz

Republic aer the change ofpolitical regime in2010, we should evaluate what achieved our

Republic for this period.

As it is known, each revolution generates uncertainty andtakes the political system

out ofa normal condition, inwhich it functioned until the occurrence ofpolitical events,

coup for a certain period oftime (Ovsyannikov, 2001: 19).

And, as noted by the national historian T.A. Abdrakhmanov: «As the paralysis

ofpower andlaws comes, law enforcement andsecurity agencies ofthe state are demor

alized andparalyzed. e State temporarily loses external anddomestic immunity. e

criminal, inter-ethnic, regional situation aggravates to the bitter end. e country faces

the real threat ofcivil war» (Abdrakhmanov, 2014: 16). Despite the specied moments,

our republic achieved certain changes inthe political system. So, aer the events of2010

inKyrgyzstan there were a real competition between politicians, an eective multi-party

system was created, decentralization ofpower andcontrol was implemented. At the pres

ent stage ofdevelopment ofKyrgyzstan, the opposition is no longer onthe quasi-legal

situation andacts openly within the framework ofthe law, they have an opportunity to win

inthe elections within the framework ofa political struggle inany region ofthe republic.

anks to competition ofthe parties, it has become possible to ensure openness andtrans

parency ofthe government. We should also note the growth offreedom ofspeech, level

ofindependence ofthe mass media, respect for the rights ofpeople to assemble andmeet.

Journalists and representatives of civil society today can quite freely criticize govern



№ 3 2020

ment, express their opinions onany matter. Such changes become the basis for the growth

ofquality characteristics ofthe entire civil society inthe country: self-evaluation is increas

ing, self-awareness andresponsibility ofpeople are growing.

However, as a rule, any large-scale political developments, including the enforced

change ofpower have negative consequences also. ese include growing unemployment,

ination, rising prices for food products, weak, andalmost stagnating economy; security

problems ofthe country citizens increased inrecent years. e absence ofeective power

hinders the development ofthe economy, that is conrmed by the indicators ofpost-revo

lutionary years, which are not infavor ofthe new government.

Aer the revolution, the country governance system has not been radically changed,

even inspite ofthe adoption ofthe Constitution of2010, which legally enshrined a parlia

mentary form ofgovernance.

e new government has not been able to implement declared reforms inthe eld

ofdecentralization, provision ofservices to the population, administrative management,

law enforcement andjudicial systems. Reforms inthe system oflaw enforcement bodies

andthe judicial power were launched, but virtually failed. Other reforms have not even

begun, because the authorities were completely unprepared for them.

Analysis ofthe situation ofthe post-revolutionary period inthe Kyrgyz Republic

has identied a lot ofpending and, oen, not solvable problems. We should also add to the

above the increased ethno-nationalism, which has been spread among both the political

elite ofthe republic andamong some part ofthe Kyrgyz population.

Atmosphere of total intolerance and state-supported public antagonism against

objective information about the June events is prevailing. e same attitude is manifest

ed inrespect ofthe activities ofhuman rights defenders, lawyers, journalists andvarious

international institutions that have participated inthe protection ofthe rights ofvictims

(Ismoilov, 2014: 3).

is situation can be recognized as a crisis, andthis crisis has been brewing up for

more than a year. One more serious symptom ofthis prolonged crisis inthe republic is

the fact that citizens preferred to act inresolving their problems not inaccordance with

the laws ofmodern state, but according to the concepts offeudal society, they preferred

to settle the case ontheir own rather than appeal to corrupted law enforcement system

ofthe state. A large number ofcases, where problems were resolved by illegal methods,

became, sadly, a clear evidence ofthe spread of«lawlessness» inthe republic (Shamenov,

2013: 11). Moreover, the trend ofignoring laws andresolving any problems by rallies,

demonstrations, blocking strategic roads, leading people onriots, andetc. is widespread

inthe society, andsuch things are taking place inour reality, we cannot talk about the rule-

of-law state.

At the present stage ofdevelopment ofKyrgyzstan there is an extreme lack ofcontrol

inthe eld ofmanagement ofpolitical, economic andsocial processes taking place inthe

country, andin control inthe government machine itself, inits internal controls also. Such

negative factors as the separation ofparties ona regional basis, pretensions andambitious

claims ofthose political parties that failed to gain representation inthe parliament, pres

ence offormer regime public gures among the members ofthe ruling parties, strength-

SOCIETY AND SECURITY INSIGHTS

76 № 3 2020

ening anddissemination ofreligious extremism contribute to further destabilization ofthe

socio-political situation inthe Kyrgyz Republic.

e tragic June events inour republic showed that the Uzbek factor cannot, andmust

not become a destabilizing factor inthe region. More likely, here the threat is represent

ed by the regions ofthe periphery, where the radical moods spread, new non-traditional

threats andchallenges emerge, which can be provoked due to claims to resources inthe

center (Ismadiyarov, 2012: 127).

But there is a hope that for the last period, aer all the trials faced by the citizens

ofKyrgyzstan, the society formed the need for alternative lifestyle (without armed con

icts, without the permanent threats andriots), andnew social strata aimed at the building

ofa peaceful andprosperous society.

What are the prospects for the development ofKyrgyzstan inthis case?

We should be aware that the threat ofunrests inthe Republic has not been yet re

moved, that there are many problems to be resolved. And these factors determine the pros-

pects ofdevelopment ofKyrgyzstan.

If the leaders ofthe republic, including the Zhogorku Kenesh andthe President,

does not resolve the problems described previously, it’s likely that a new wave ofunrest

andviolence inthe country can rise, which will be provoked by both disaected politicians

andpart ofthe population dissatised with the situation. Historically, the stability inthe

society, its prosperity depended onpolitical leaders (present andfuture), onhow they real

ized the fact that every short-sighted andpolitically immature act, non-conscious political

responsibility can destabilize the country, bring it to the next conict situation, which will

manifest itself inriots, ethnic feuds, anddestabilization inall spheres ofsociety.

To avoid such risks, we should very competently andprofessionally manage the state

government structures.

e President should pursue very correct anddiplomatic policies, make political

compromises, andbuild relationships with his political rivals through dialogue andagree

ments, as well as make compromises that can preserve a majority coalition inthe par-

liament (Bolponova, 2015). He must learn to use the mechanism ofmanipulation ofin-

dividual politicians, taking into account the actual andpotential leaders, as well as very

authoritative «shadow» gures, the so-called «gray cardinals»...

Another important factor inimproving the political situation inthe country anden

hancing the state governance can be a high degree ofawareness ofthe political leaders

oftheir historical responsibility for the future ofthe country. is means, rst andfore

most, the possession ofcompetent technologies ofpolitical leader, which is reected inthe

culture, etiquette, ability to serve as an example oflawfulness, civic responsibility, respect

for the laws andorders, respecting the requirements to morality standards commonly ac

cepted inthe society, steadfast andconsistent protection ofnational andstate interests.

Some political analysts see the only real prospect for changing the situation inthe

country inthe formation ofa new – much stronger andactually democratic – opposition

movement ofcivil forces (Shamenov, 2013: 34). Such a movement should cope with a task

ofestablishing political monitoring ofthe actions ofthe authorities; have universal support

ofthe population, which will ensure the successful political struggle at the next election to



№ 3 2020

the Zhogorku Kenesh, inorder to achieve the actually legitimate, representative parliamen-

tary majority. us, there will take place a legitimate change ofnot just power but change

ofthe today’s extremely inecient political establishment, or, at least, its unjustied monop

oly onpower will be destroyed. In case ofsuccess, a new generation ofpoliticians must re-

store fairness andeciency ofthe state power, redirect its resources towards implementation

ofreal reforms, radical improvement ofthe situation inthe republic andadoption ofdeci

sive measures for comprehensive modernization ofthe republic. But it should be noted that

regardless ofpolitical events, the main state mechanisms ofgovernment with appropriate

political institutions formed inthe country. Kyrgyzstan is a recognized actor ininternational

relations, having a legitimate right to response to challenges andthreats ofthe modern world.

БИБЛИОГРАФИЧЕСКИЙ СПИСОК

Абдрахманов Т.А. О революционном синдроме. Вкн.: Роль иисторическое значение

Апрельской революции всовременной истории Кыргызстана: сборник материалов

внутриуниверситетской научно-практической конференции. Бишкек: Кыргызский

государственный университет им. И.Арабаева, 2014. С. 124–127.

Болпонова А. Апрельские события 2010 года в Кыргызстане, 12 октября 2015.. URL:

http://kk.convdocs.org/docs/

Исмоилов С. Июньские события 2010 года в Кыргызстане: последствия и отголоски,

15 марта 2014. URL: http://unhcr.org.ua/img/uploads

Исмадияров У. Проблемы и перспективы развития политической системы стран

Центральной Азии. Москва, 2012.

Овсянников Н. Трагедии иистории государств Юго-Восточной Азии. Москва, 2001.

Шаменов Н. Безопасность иеe формы вусловиях революции. Алматы, 2013.

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SOCIETY AND SECURITY INSIGHTS

 № 3 2020

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history ofSouth Asian states]. Moscow.

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inthe terms ofrevolution]. Almaty.