The interim Kyrgyz government has started discussions on officially removing ex-President Kurmanbek Bakiyev from his presidential post as well as annulling his presidential immunity, an interim government official told RIA Novosti on Monday.
Bakiyev said earlier on Friday that his resignation was not official as the necessary legal procedures have not been completed. The interim government said the president resigned on April 15 when he left Kyrgyzstan for Kazakhstan. Bakiyev has since taken refuge in Belarus.
"The decree on removing Kurmanbek Bakiyev from his position [of president] was discussed during a government meeting. According to the decree, Bakiyev is stripped of his presidential immunity and legal authorities have been instructed to return him to the republic," Edil Baisalov said.
Bakiyev said on Friday he was pressured into writing a resignation statement and the necessary legal procedures had not been completed to make his exit official.
He accused the interim government of being hasty in announcing he had stepped down and said he was under pressure when he wrote the resignation statement.
Interim government press secretary Turat Akimov said it was "too early" to talk about the acceptance of the decree "because the document has not yet been signed by the head of the government."
The Kyrgyz government plans to begin extradition procedures to bring Bakiyev back to the country to face charges in regard to the deaths of over 80 people during riots in early April.
BISHKEK, April 26 (RIA Novosti)
