From Chinese Press

Kyrgyzstan still faces bumpy road after referendum

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-29 14:02

A new constitution has been adopted by an overwhelming 90 percent of Kyrgyz voters in a referendum Sunday, according to an official statement of the Central Electoral Committee on Monday.

The new constitution particularly envisages a parliamentary democracy in the Central Asian country.

The expected high endorsement shows the Kyrgyz people hope the unrest, which killed nearly 300 people and displaced tens of thousands, will not repeat itself and the situation will return to the realm of law soon, analysts say.

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However, to restore stability to the country, as well as to realize the model of a parliamentary republic, Kyrgyzstan still has a long and tough way to go, they warn.

According to rules set by the interim government, a simple majority of over 50 percent vote was needed for the approval of the landmark referendum aimed at slashing presidential powers and strengthening parliamentary authority.

Only one and half hours after the vote ended, interim leader Roza Otunbayeva told a news conference that the new charter was approved with more than 50 percent support, according to preliminary results based on no more than 5 percent of ballots from nearly 100 polling stations.

After her announcement, Akylbek Sariyev, head of the Kyrgyz Central Electoral Committee, said it was premature to claim the new constitution had been approved.

"It is too early to warrant that the constitution was adopted," he was cited by Interfax news agency as saying.

But local political analyst Mars Sariyev said that whenever the interim government made the announcement, the high turnout and endorsement were actually foreseeable.

He told Xinhua that among the voters, some did support the interim government, believing that Otunbayeva was capable of leading the country out of the current plight; some didn't trust the interim leaders but had no other choices, thus pinning their only hopes on the democratic reforms promised by the interim authority.

"I think most voters have no clear idea about politics nor the new constitution. What they want is just to restore stability as soon as possible, so they simply equated 'constitutional reform' with 'lawful and stable', and voted 'yes' in the referendum," Sariyev said.

Russian Central Elections Commission head Vladimir Churov, who monitored voting in the referendum, shared the view with Sariyev.

"I am getting the impression that people did not vote for the text of the constitution, which they were supposed to read and understand, but for prompt stabilization of the situation in the country," Churov said.