Kyrgyz Voters Approve Constitutional Changes
October 19, 1998 - 0:0
MOSCOW More than 70 percent of voters approved a series of constitutional amendments in Kyrgyzstan Saturday, including the private ownership of land, ITAR-TASS news agency reported. The Russian news agency quoted initial estimates issued by the Central Electoral Commission in the Central Asian republic. Voters were asked their opinion on constitutional changes that would guarantee land ownership rights and more press freedom, and alter the structure and duties of parliament.
Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev said the proposed agrarian land reform would help form a middle class of landowners. Opponents of the change said only the wealthy and foreigners would buy up the land. Akayev, who first proposed the changes in a national television address in September, told journalists as he was casting his vote that the referendum will give us new strength to conduct market reforms.
Land reform was the most contentious issue on the all-or- nothing referendum, which asked voters only if they would like to change or make additions to the constitution rather than allowing them to approve or vote against specific questions. Akayev said Kyrgyzstan would be one of the first countries in the former Soviet Union to provide private ownership rights of agrarian lands.
Private ownership of the land will strengthen and enrich the intelligentsia, because this land reform will give everyone an equal chance and freedom of activity and entrepreneurship, the former university professor said. But even if the reforms are approved, land would not go on sale immediately in the small mountainous republic of 4.5 million people. After facing opposition to land reform, Akayev issued a decree placing a five-year moratorium on selling land, in order to prepare legal documents and a legal mechanism for sales transactions.
Opposition members in the rural areas in the southern part of the country like parliamentary deputy Adakham Madumarov say nearly 90 percent of the population live in poverty and are too poor to purchase the land themselves. The referendum, the fourth such public poll on constitutional changes in recent years, would also prevent amendments to prohibit free speech or limit what the mass media can report.
Kyrgyzstan, which already has the most liberal practices concerning freedom of the press in Central Asia, needs to avoid a Russian-style monopoly on press ownership, Akayev has said. Voters were also being asked to approve an increase in the membership of the legislative assembly, Kyrgyzstan's parliament, from 35 to 67 deputies with 15 seats granted to members of political parties that pass a five percent threshold.
Preliminary results were expected Sunday with final results later in the week. (AFP)
Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev said the proposed agrarian land reform would help form a middle class of landowners. Opponents of the change said only the wealthy and foreigners would buy up the land. Akayev, who first proposed the changes in a national television address in September, told journalists as he was casting his vote that the referendum will give us new strength to conduct market reforms.
Land reform was the most contentious issue on the all-or- nothing referendum, which asked voters only if they would like to change or make additions to the constitution rather than allowing them to approve or vote against specific questions. Akayev said Kyrgyzstan would be one of the first countries in the former Soviet Union to provide private ownership rights of agrarian lands.
Private ownership of the land will strengthen and enrich the intelligentsia, because this land reform will give everyone an equal chance and freedom of activity and entrepreneurship, the former university professor said. But even if the reforms are approved, land would not go on sale immediately in the small mountainous republic of 4.5 million people. After facing opposition to land reform, Akayev issued a decree placing a five-year moratorium on selling land, in order to prepare legal documents and a legal mechanism for sales transactions.
Opposition members in the rural areas in the southern part of the country like parliamentary deputy Adakham Madumarov say nearly 90 percent of the population live in poverty and are too poor to purchase the land themselves. The referendum, the fourth such public poll on constitutional changes in recent years, would also prevent amendments to prohibit free speech or limit what the mass media can report.
Kyrgyzstan, which already has the most liberal practices concerning freedom of the press in Central Asia, needs to avoid a Russian-style monopoly on press ownership, Akayev has said. Voters were also being asked to approve an increase in the membership of the legislative assembly, Kyrgyzstan's parliament, from 35 to 67 deputies with 15 seats granted to members of political parties that pass a five percent threshold.
Preliminary results were expected Sunday with final results later in the week. (AFP)