This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev (Курманбек Салиевич Бакиев; born August 1, 1949 in Masadan, Jalal-Abad Province in Kyrgyzstan), is the president of the Kyrgyz Republic, whilst also holding the position of Prime Minister. He was appointed to this position by the upper house of the Kyrgyz Parliament on March 24, 2005, following the ousting, during the Kyrgyz revolution of 2005, of former president Askar Akayev.
Bakiyev is the leader of the People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan and gets most of his popular support from the south of the country. As a Soviet-trained professional with a quick grasp of economics, he is also popular among the ethnic Russian workforce, who form the backbone of industry, and intellectuals in the north.
In 1972 Bakiyev graduated from the Kuybyshev Polytechnic Institute as an electrical engineer; from 1974 to 1976 he was drafted into the Soviet Red Army. By 1979 he was deputy chief engineer at a factory in Jalal-Abad, and by 1990 had risen to factory director, when he left to begin a political career. Initially first secretary of the Kok-Yangak city council, he was soon chairman of the supreme soviet for that city, then deputy chairman for the Jalal-Abad region. In 1995 Bakiyev was elected provincial governor of Jalal-Abad oblast. He later served as governor of Chui oblast from April 1997 to December 2000 and Prime Minister from December 21, 2000, to May 22, 2002, but resigned that position in the aftermath of riot police having shot and killed five anti-Akayev protesters in the southern Kyrgyz town of Aksy. Some people feel his association with the Aksy incident makes him unsuitable to represent the country.
He won the 10 July ballot for the Presidential election with a landslide of 89% [1] of the vote (turnout 53%). Part of this can be contributed to the alliance with Felix Kulov who will most likely become prime minister. He has appointed a number of popular and well-known leaders to key positions. Roza Otunbaeva became the acting foreign affairs minister, Adakhan Madumarov became the vice-prime minister, Azimbek Beknazarov became the general prosecutor and Daniar Usenov became a vice-prime minister as well. Bakiyev was inaugurated on 14 August, in the capital, Bishkek.
Quotes
- "We respect [the] interests of other nations, but [the] interests of our own people and state, freedom and independence of Kyrgyzstan are predominant for us." Speaking at his inauguration, 13 August
External links
 | This article about a politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |