Kyrgyz Presidential Administration head Niyazov resigns
BISHKEK. March 7 (Interfax) - The head of the Kyrgyz Presidential Administration, Farid Niyazov, who filed his resignation statement a week ago, has been dismissed, the presidential press service told Interfax on Wednesday.
"Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov signed a decree dismissing Niyazov as the head of the [Presidential] Administration in accordance with the statement submitted," the press service said.
Niyazov filed his resignation statement to Jeenbekov last week, but it was not approved. The president suggested that he take a week-long vacation and then continue joint work.
According to Kyrgyz media, Niyazov, who serves as the deputy chairman of the Kyrgyz Social Democratic Party's political council, is close to former President Almazbek Atambayev and told reporters that he plans to step down in order to work with the party.
"Niyazov is a good statesman and a good manager of the state government," Jeenbekov said at a meeting with the heads of media outlets on March 6. Jeenbekov said that Niyazov had led his campaign and agreed to become the head of the Presidential Administration if Jeenbekov won.
"Niyazov said a week ago that he was resigning. I thought that he had gotten tired and gave him a week-long vacation. But I respect Farid Abilezimovich's decision, it is his right," Jeenbekov said.
"'A holy place is never empty,'" he said. "I am the kind of person that I never talks anyone into anything, since people who are also worthy of this position are by my side," Jeenbekov said.
Niyazov became the head of the Kyrgyz Presidential Administration in December 2017.