The parliament has decided to consider the issue of Omurbek Tekebayev's resignation next Monday, or five business days after he submitted his letter of resignation.
Deputy Speakers Bolot Sherniyazov and Erkinbek Alymbekov are also expected to offer their resignation in the latest episode in the political confrontation between parliament and the president in one of the poorest former Soviet republics. But parliament has refused to consider their resignations along with Tekebayev's, as it could paralyze the legislature.
On February 3, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who came to power following a popular uprising last year, criticized the speaker and parliament in general for blocking crucial legislative initiatives, among them privatization bills and a draft budget. Bakiyev said the legislature had turned into a "scene for political bickering" and created instability in the country.
In turn, Tekebayev made allegedly offensive "non-parliamentary" remarks about the president, saying he "disgraced himself."
"On Friday, [Prime Minister] Feliks Kulov and Kurmanbek Bakiyev let me know that I had to resign," Tekebayev said. "The people's deputies were subjected to bribes and threats."
In his letter of resignation, Tekebayev said the country's president and prime minister publicly refused to implement their campaign promises.
"All of the people were witnesses to the promises of the tandem, and today they are publicly abandoning them [the promises]," the speaker said. "Those who constantly remind them [of their promises] are being persecuted."
The statement went on to say the following: "Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Feliks Kulov concluded an agreement on the tandem in the beginning of May 2005. The key issue of the agreement was to conduct democratic constitutional reforms. The participants in the tandem forgot about their promises."
Kyrgyz Deputy Melis Eshimkanov said the speaker's resignation might result in the self-dissolution of parliament and that the two most likely candidates to replace the speaker were Bakiyev protege Marat Sultanov or parliamentarian Kubatbek Baibolov, who has been a strong critic of the authorities.
Kyrgyz Deputy Iskhak Masaliyev said, "The speaker's statement of voluntary resignation is not grounds for talks on the parliament's self-dissolution."
He said, however, that if the parliament failed to elect a new speaker in the near future, "the president could theoretically dismiss the parliament."
Newly appointed Kyrgyz Ambassador to Tajikistan Turatbek Dzhunushaliyev said he refused to comment on the political situation in his country. At his swearing-in ceremony Monday, he was granted a letter of credentials from Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov.
Kambaraly Kongantiyev, the prosecutor general of Kyrgyzstan, said last Thursday a situation had developed that could be described as a "crisis caused by insurmountable differences between the parliament of Kyrgyzstan and other branches of state power." He said there were grounds to consider the speaker's remarks as defamatory under the country's criminal code.
A simple majority vote by parliament is required to either accept or reject the speaker's resignation.
