Kyrgyz president appoints defense minister, security service chief
BISHKEK. April 4 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has signed decrees to appoint Djoomart Otorbaev as the Prime Minister and other members of the government formed by the majority coalition and approved by the parliament on April 3, the presidential press service told Interfax on Friday.
Atambayev also appointed Abibulla Kudayberdiev as the Defense Minister and Busurmankul Tabaldiev as the Chairman of the State Committee for National Security.
Former Defense Minister Taalaybek Omuraliev was relieved of his duties.
The constitution entrusts the president with the right to appoint and dismiss the defense minister and the security service chief, while the appointment and dismissal of the rest of the government, including the prime minister, is a prerogative of the parliament majority.
Maj. Gen. Kudayberdiev already headed the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry in 2010-2011, and Lt. Gen. Tabaldiev took charge of the security services in June 2013.
