Kyrgyz president hopes turnout in constitutional referendum will be passed
BISHKEK. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev hopes the turnout threshold in the constitutional referendum will be achieved, and the referendum will be declared valid.
"I am now praying to God for 30% [the turnout threshold] to turn up for the referendum. Of course, on the one hand, there is some anxiety, but also a big joy: today the country has changed, and whereas before under 100% voted in elections, today we think of having 30% vote," Atambayev told journalists on leaving a polling station on Sunday.
The changes are also yet another step towards parliamentary democracy in Kyrgyzstan, he added. "The current constitution is not parliamentary but presidential-parliamentary, and I in my five years as president was able to turn around this country but we are making a step forward towards the parliamentary system, this is the right way. And subsequent steps will be made already by a new president and a new parliament," the president said.
Kyrgyzstan will continue strengthening its parliamentary system even beyond the 2020 parliamentary elections, he said.
As for elections to local councils, in particular, to the Bishkek city council, the Social Democratic Party (which Atambayev had led before his election as president in 2011) and the Respublika (Republic) Party would probably win, he said.