Kurmanbek Bakiyev

Kurmanbek Bakiyev Курманбек Бакиев
President of Kyrgyzstan
In office 25 March 2005 – 15 April 2010 Acting until 15 August 2005
Prime Minister	Medetbek Kerimkulov Felix Kulov Azim Isabekov Almazbek Atambayev Iskenderbek Aidaraliyev Igor Chudinov Daniar Usenov
Preceded by	Ishenbai Kadyrbekov (Acting)
Succeeded by	Roza Otunbayeva
Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan
In office 10 July 2005 – 15 August 2005
President	Askar Akayev Ishenbai Kadyrbekov (Acting)
Preceded by	Medetbek Kerimkulov (Acting)
Succeeded by	Felix Kulov
In office 25 March 2005 – 20 June 2005 Acting until 28 March 2005
President	Askar Akayev
Preceded by	Nikolai Tanayev
Succeeded by	Medetbek Kerimkulov (Acting)
In office 21 December 2000 – 22 May 2002
President	Askar Akayev
Preceded by	Amangeldy Muraliyev
Succeeded by	Nikolai Tanayev
Born	1 August 1949 (1949-08-01) (age 61) Masadan, Soviet Union (now Kyrgyzstan)
Political party	Ak Jol
Spouse(s)	Tatyana Bakiyeva
Alma mater	Kuybyshev Polytechnic Institute
Religion	Sunni Islam

Kurmanbek Saliyevich Bakiyev (Kyrgyz: Курманбек Сали уулу Бакиев (Kurmanbek Sali Uulu Bakiev), Russian: Курманбек Салиевич Бакиев; born 1 August 1949) is a politician who served as the second President of Kyrgyzstan, serving from 2005 to 2010. Large opposition protests in April 2010 led to the takeover of government offices, forcing Bakiyev to flee the country.

Bakiyev was the leader of the People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan before his ascendance to the presidency. He received most of his popular support from the south of the country.

The Legislative Assembly of Kyrgyzstan of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan appointed him acting President on March 24, 2005, following the ousting, during the Tulip Revolution, of President Askar Akayev. In October 2007, Bakiyev initiated the creation of Ak Jol party, but could not lead it due to his presidency.^[1]

Early life and career

Bakiyev was born in Masadan, Jalal-Abad Province, in the former Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union.

Prime minister

In 1995, Bakiyev was appointed Provincial Governor of Jalal-Abad Province. He later served as Governor of Chui Province from April 1997 to December 2000 and as 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.

Tulip Revolution

Following the events of the 2005 Tulip Revolution, Bakiyev won the 10 July ballot for the Presidential election with 89% of the vote with a 53% turnout.^[2] This overwhelming electoral success is partly due to the political alliance with Felix Kulov whom Bakiyev appointed Prime Minister soon after the election. However widespread election fraud had been reported by many US and NGO election observers. Bakiyev was inaugurated on 14 August in Bishkek.

President

Despite initial hopes, Bakiyev's term in office has been marred by the murder of several prominent politicians, prison riots, economic ills and battles for control of lucrative businesses.^[3][4][5][6] In 2006, Bakiyev faced a political crisis as thousands of people participated in a series of protests in Bishkek. He was accused of not following through with his promises to limit presidential power, give more authority to parliament and the prime minister, and eradicate corruption and crime. Bakiyev claimed that the opposition was plotting a coup against him.^[7][8]

In April 2007, the opposition held protests demanding Bakiyev's resignation,^[9] with a large protest beginning on April 11 in Bishkek. Bakiyev signed constitutional amendments to reduce his own power on April 10, but the protest went ahead, with protesters saying that they would remain until he resigned.^[10] Clashes broke out between protesters and police on April 19, after which the protests ended.^[11]

Over the years, the relationship between China and Kyrgyzstan has grown. The number of Chinese students in Kyrgyzstan has risen.^[12] There is even a plan for a high-speed rail to connect the two countries.^[13]

In February 2009, while in Moscow, Bakiyev announced the eviction of the US Air Base from Kyrgyzstan, right after a meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, during which Russia promised a $2 billion investment.^[14] However, the base did not get evicted, because US offered more rent. Russia since then said that it will not be able to deliver promised credit, explaining it with current economics crises.

Bakiyev was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election, despite allegations of rampant corruption, and voter fraud.

After the re-election in 2009, some people in Kyrgyzstan said that he would now deal with political and economic reform.^[15] Others were skeptical. The Eurasian Daily Monitor wrote on September 10 that his style resembled other leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev. However, he lacked resources and Kyrgyz people were anxious about the risk of renewed power shortages and blackouts like in the winter 2008–2009.^[15]

During the winter of 2010 Kyrgyzstan has suffered from rolling blackouts and cutoffs occurring regularly while energy prices have risen.^[16]

In January 2010 Kyrgyzstan sent a delegation to China to discuss improved economic relations.^[17] Kyrgyzstan national electric company Natsionalnaya electricheskaya syet and the Chinese Tebian Electric signed a $342 million contract to build the Datka-Kemin 500 kv power transmission lines. This would have reduced Kyrgyzstan's dependence on the Central Asian power system. The delegation was led by Bakiyev's son.^[17]

In February 2010 Kyrgyzstan had to raise energy tariffs. Heating costs were reportedly going to rise 400 percent and electricity by 170 percent.^[18]

Russia backed his government until March 2010. The Eurasian Daily Monitor reported on April 1 that, for two weeks, the Kremlin has used the Russian mass media to run a negative campaign against Bakiyev.^[19] Russia controls much of the media in Kyrgyzstan.^[19] The sudden campaign coincided with Bakiyev's failure to carry out Russia's various demands related to things such as military bases.^[19] On April 1 Russia also imposed duties on energy exports to Kyrgyzstan. It influenced fuel and transport prices immediately, and reportedly led to a massive protest in Talas on April 6.^[20]

2010 Revolution

In April 2010, after bloody riots in the capital overturned the government, Bakiyev reportedly fled to the southern city of Osh.^[21] The head of the new provisional government, Roza Otunbayeva, declared that Bakiyev had not resigned and was trying to rally support.^[22] On April 13, 2010, Bakiyev said he is willing to resign the presidency if his security is guaranteed.^[23] On April 15, 2010, at 19:00, Bakiyev left Kyrgyzstan for Kazakhstan, having signed a resignation letter.^[24][25] Otunbayeva stated that she would press ahead to bring Bakiyev to trial. ^[26]

On April 20, the Belarussian president, Alexander Lukashenko told his parliament that "Bakiyev and his family, four people in all, have been in Minsk since Monday evening, as guests...Today they are here under the protection of our state, and personally of the president."^[27]

On April 21, Kurmanbek Bakiyev held a press conference in Minsk and stated "I, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, am the legally elected president of Kyrgyzstan and recognised by the international community. I do not recognise my resignation. Nine months ago the people of Kyrgyzstan elected me their president and there is no power that can stop me. Only death can stop me," and called Otunbayeva's administration an "illegitimate gang".^[28]

Family

During his time as president, several Bakiyev family members had prominent positions in the government, with at least five close relatives working in the upper echelons of power. His brother Janysh Bakiyev was head of the presidential guard, brother Marat Bakiyev was Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to Germany, and another brother Adyl Bakiyev was an adviser to Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to China.^[29]

His youngest son, Maksim Bakiyev, was in charge of delivering fuel to the Manas International Airport, which also hosts a US airbase^[30], through Mina Corp. Maksim was appointed the head of Central Agency for Development in October of 2009. Since the overthrow he has been charged with embezzlement and abuse of power by the interim government. It is suspected that transferred about $35 million of a $300 million loan from Russia into his private bank accounts^[31]. When the revolt took place, Bakiyev was headed to the US for a series of meetings in Washington^[32]. On June 14, 2010 Maksim was arrested in the UK when he landed at Farnborough Airport in Hampshire in a privately hired jet. ^[33] The interim Kyrgyz government is demanding his extradition.

References

External links

• Official Website of Kurmanbek Bakiyev
• Presidential biography
• Previous Constitution of Kyrgyzstan
• Xinhua profile
• "Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan Sign Economic Cooperation Treaty"
• Kyrgyzstan on the Edge
• Kyrgyz President Replaces Renegade Regional Governor

Leaders of Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz SSR Maksim Ammosov · Aleksey Vagov · Nikolay Bogolyubov · Iskhak Razzakov · Turdakun Usubaliyev · Absamat Masaliyev · Jumgalbek Amanbayev Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev · Kurmanbek Bakiyev · Roza Otunbayeva

Prime Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Kara-Kyrgyz AO Yusup Abdrakhmanov • Bayaly Isakeyev Kyrgyz SSR Bayaly Isakeyev • Murat Salikhov • Ismail Abuzyarov* • Ivan Rebrov* • Turabay Kulatov • Iskhak Razzakov • Abdy Suyerkulov • Kazy Dikambayev • Bolot Mambetov • Akhmatbek Suyumbayev • Sultan Ibraimov • Pyotr Khodos* • Arstanbek Duysheyev • Apas Jumagulov Kyrgyz Republic Nasirdin Isanov • Andrei Iordan* • Tursunbek Chyngyshev • Almanbet Matubraimov* • Apas Jumagulov • Kubanychbek Jumaliyev* • Boris Silayev* • Jumabek Ibraimov • Boris Silayev* • Amangeldy Muraliyev • Kurmanbek Bakiyev • Nikolai Tanayev • Kurmanbek Bakiyev • Felix Kulov • Azim Isabekov • Almazbek Atambayev • Iskenderbek Aidaraliyev* • Igor Chudinov • Daniar Usenov • Roza Otunbayeva* * denotes acting

Candidates in the 2005 Kyrgyzstani presidential election Kurmanbek Bakiyev · Tursunbai Bakir uulu · Akbaraly Aitikeev · Zhapar Dzheksheyev · Toktayym Ümötalieva · Keneshbek Dushebaev