Kyrgyzstan

Legal policy starting point

Now that a democratic change of power has taken place in Kyrgyzstan, the country finds itself in an important phase of renewal. The Constitution, which was accepted through a referendum in June 2010, constitutes a mixed form of parliamentary and presidential systems with a strong Parliament. The Members were elected in October 2010, and presidential elections took place one year later. Former Prime Minister Almasbek Atambajev emerged as the victor, and took up his office in December 2011. A new Government was formed shortly after that under the new Prime Minister Babanov. President Atambajev stands for a moderate course, giving rise to hopes that the country’s political situation will calm down and further determined steps will be taken towards democratisation in the country.

Legal cooperation

After the German Federal Ministry of Justice had launched initial activities with the new Kyrgyz Government at the beginning of 2011, the IRZ became involved and took up cooperation with the Kyrgyz Ministry of Justice focussing on extending the judiciary, above all the area of legislation. The IRZ carried out a seminar in Bishkek in October 2011 with the Ministry of Justice at which German experts from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Bundesrat presented the course taken by legislative procedure, as well as legislative technique in Germany, and discussed it in detail with participants from various Ministries. Following on from this activity, a delegation of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Justice visited Germany. This fact-finding trip was about quality assurance in legislation. The understanding of German legislative practice was deepened by means of specialist talks with various players (Federal Ministry of Justice, Bundesrat, Secretariat of the National Judicial Review Council). Furthermore, the opportunity was provided to become familiar with the cooperation between Parliament and the Ministry of Justice by virtue of meetings with the Committee on Legal Affairs and the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag, as well as with the Berlin House of Representatives, in which Kyrgyzstan is particularly interested.

Outlook

The IRZ Foundation will continue its advice to the Ministry of Justice in 2012 and support the restructuring of the judiciary with further activities.