Kyrgyz MPs no longer bound by party commitments
BISHKEK. Jan 21 (Interfax) - Members of the Kyrgyz parliament have been allowed to leave party factions and form groups.
The parliament made corresponding amendments to the law on the status of deputies. The amendments relieve deputies elected from different political parties of their mandatory membership in party factions, give them the freedom of choice depending on the political reality and the right to form groups, Interfax was told at the parliamentary press service on Monday.
"The legal right of deputies to form groups will allow us to painlessly overcome the difficulties with forming a coalition majority, and deputies groups will be able to officially join the coalition majority or the opposition minority," a press officer said.
The law "does not contradict the constitution which does not contain a provision binding deputies to remain with their factions," he said.
Leader of the pro-government Ata-Meken faction Omurbek Tekebayev told Interfax on Monday that the amendments will strengthen the ruling coalition in the first place.
"There are groups in opposition factions that would like to work with the majority coalition but formally do not have this right and the new bill will allow them to join the majority which will increase its stability," the deputy said.
He admitted that the new bill will weaken the opposition which may remain in a small minority and "may also play a role in splitting regional political groupings linked with some opposition deputies that will be siding with the majority."