Kyrgyz president promises open parliamentary election in 2020
BISHKEK. April 9 (Interfax) - Kyrgyzstan will hold a democratic and open parliamentary election in 2020, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said at a meeting with OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak on Tuesday.
"We are firmly committed to the democratic path of the country's development, the strengthening of parliamentary democracy, the crackdown on corruption, the protection of human rights and freedoms and freedom of speech. We are determined to hold a democratic, fair and open parliamentary election in 2020," the Kyrgyz presidential press service cited Jeenbekov as saying.
At the same time, "Kyrgyzstan does not intend to decrease the pace and the level of interaction with the OSCE and is ready to strengthen it further," the president said.
At the meeting, Jeenbekov expressed interest in interacting with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in order to hold the parliamentary election in the country successfully.
The parties discussed interaction between Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE, as well as bilateral and multilateral Kyrgyz-Slovak cooperation, and exchanged views on socio-economic cooperation as part of the OSCE and the European Union, the press service told Interfax.
"Slovakia showed the highest example of democratic elections, we wish further success to your president and country. We are ready for the comprehensive development and deepening of bilateral relations," Jeenbekov said, commenting on the recent victory of an independent candidate, lawyer Zuzana Caputova, in the presidential election in Slovakia.
Since the first days of establishing independence, Kyrgyzstan "felt the OSCE's constant support and help, especially to the development of the electoral process and freedom of speech in the country," Jeenbekov said.
The OSCE Academy is a unique project and its activities should deepen and expand, he said.
Lajcak, for his part, said that his visit coincided with the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the work of the OSCE Mission to Kyrgyzstan.
The environment in Kyrgyzstan, which chose the path of parliamentary democracy, is very favorable, he said. The OSCE is a partner and friend on which Kyrgyzstan can rely and which is always ready to share experience and provide necessary assistance, he said.
Lajcak is paying an official visit to Bishkek on April 8-9. He held bilateral talks with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov earlier.