Kyrgyz Prime Minister Temir Sariyev and his entire cabinet resigned last week after a parliamentary commission accused it of corruption, a move highlighting tensions between different factions of President Almazbek Atambayev’s supporters. Sariyev resigned last Monday after the President refused his demand to sack his Transport Minister after the commission claimed that the government had rigged a $100m road construction tender to ensure it was given to a Chinese firm that lacked the required license.
Atambayev turned down Sariyev’s request on the grounds that the prime minister had not provided clear legal grounds for the dismissal and his subsequent resignation automatically triggered the resignation the entire cabinet.
Sariyev had run the Central Asian nation’s government since last May, at the time when its economy has come under pressure from the recession in Russia and slowdowns in other neighbouring countries such as China and Kazakhstan.
He had also pledged to resolve a long-standing dispute over profit-sharing with Canada’s Centerra Gold, which operates Kumtor, Kyrgyzstan’s biggest gold mine and the country’s economic backbone, but no agreement has so far been reached.
An interim coalition government beaded up by Social Democrats closely linked to Atambayev has taken over and has 15 days to chose a new premier.
Kyrgyz PM Sariyev resigns amid accusations of corruption
Source: reuters