Page 21 - bne_newspaper_April_20_2018

Eurasia
April 20, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 21
ensure a harmonious cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of power." With Sargsyan occupying the top executive position and the Republican Party commanding a majority in parliament, it is unlikely that there will be much distinction between the executive and legislative powers under his administration.
Maximilien Lambertson, lead Armenia and Geor- gia analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told bne IntelliNews on April 17 that the protests currently appeared smaller than those sparked
by Sargsyan's first election as president in 2008, but much would now depends on the ability of the fractured opposition to organise and the restraint of the protesters and security forces when it came to violence.
Lambertson said: “The protests underline the
Kyrgyz president fires government after parliament’s vote of no confidence
Kanat Shaku in Almaty
Kyrgyz President Sooranbai Jeenbekov on April 19 fired the government of Prime Minister Sapar Isakov, hours after MPs passed a vote of no con- fidence in the Cabinet. Isakov is seen as close to Almazbek Atambayev, president of Kyrgyzstan from late 2011 until Jeenbekov succeeded him in November last year.
The press service of the president said in a state- ment that Cabinet members would keep on work- ing until a new government was formed.
The parliament’s move appears to finalise a purge of a series of officials seen as close to Atam-
strong sense of alienation felt by many, reflecting anger at the lack of social and political reform, coupled with a perception that political change is impossible through formal channels.”
The prosecutor general's office has deemed that the rallies contravene legislation on public gath- erings, and 80 demonstrators have been arrested thus far. In a statement on April 16, watchdog Hu- man Rights Watch urged Armenian law enforce- ment to refrain from the violence that has charac- terised its anti-demonstration interventions in the past.
Sargsyan - and the Armenians - have a history of peaceful demonstrations turning bloody. After the former president was first elected in 2008, 10 died in mass demonstrations against his alleged rig- ging of the election.
Kyrgyzstan analyts ask whether President Jeenbekov is rebelling against what they sense might be predecessor Atambayev's idea of him as a puppet president.
bayev. The developments challenge the view long expressed by many critics that Jeenbekov would amount to no more than Atambayev’s stooge, with the ex-president intending to continue ruling from the shadows. While Atambayev might indeed have foreseen things turning out that way, Jeenbekov may have rebelled against any idea that he would be some kind of puppet president.
The firing of the Atambayev loyalists followed public criticism of Jeenbekov made by Atambayev on March 31, when he was re-elected as head
of the Social Democratic Party (SDPK), of which Jeenbekov is also a member. Atambayev said he